Ethics in Congress From Individual to Institutional Corruption
More members of Congress have been investigated and sanctioned for ethical misconduct in the past decade and a half than in the entire previous history of the institution. But individual members are probably less corrupt than they once were. Stricter ethics codes and closer scrutiny by the press and public have imposed standards no previous representatives have had to face. Dennis Thompson shows how the institution itself is posing new ethical challenges, how the complexity of the environment in which members work creates new occasions for corruption and invites more calls for accountability
1 online resource (263 p.)
9780815722977, 0815722974
1389611678
Cover
Contents
Preface
Introduction
1. Purposes of Legislative Ethics
Personal Ethics and Legislative Ethics
The Priority of Legislative Ethics
The Scope of Legislative Ethics
Principles of Legislative Ethics
Legislative Ethics and Institutional Corruption
2. Dynamics of Legislative Corruption
The Elements of Corruption
The Individual Corruption of David Durenberger
The Institutional Corruption of the Keating Five
The Diverse Corruptions of James C. Wright, Jr
3. Gains of Office
The Legitimacy of Personal Gain
General Offenses Conflicts of Interest
Perquisites of Office
The Imperatives of Political Gain
Ambition and Independence
Fairness to Colleagues, Challengers, and Congress
4. Services of Office
Undeserved Service
Favoritism
Institutional Consequences of Constituent Service
Limitations of Legal Standards
Limitations of Ethical Standards
Toward Stronger Standards
5. Corrupt Connections
Corrupt Motives
Mixed Motives
Short-Circuiting the Democratic Process
The Root of Some Evil
The Importance of Appearances
6. Tribunals of Legislative Ethics The Deficiencies of Self-Discipline
Letting Voters Decide
Letting Courts Decide
Strengthening the Ethics Committees
Conclusion
Appendix: Charges of Ethics Violations Considered by Congress, 1789-1992
Notes
Index
A
B
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D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
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Y
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