President James Madison

Madison Vetoes Bonus Bill for Internal Improvements on Constitutional Grounds, Setting Precedent Against Federal Infrastructure

1817-03-03 00:00:00 +0000 UTC | Importance: 7/10

On the last day of his administration, President James Madison vetoes the Bonus Bill, legislation proposed by Representative John C. Calhoun to earmark the $1.5 million revenue “bonus” and future dividends (estimated at $650,000 annually) from the recently established Second Bank of the …

President James Madison John C. Calhoun Henry Clay U.S. Congress constitutional-interpretation internal-improvements infrastructure states-rights institutional-obstruction

Second Bank of the United States Chartered, Immediately Plagued by Speculation and Fraud

1816-04-10 00:00:00 +0000 UTC | Importance: 8/10

Congress charters the Second Bank of the United States as a privately owned institution with a 20-year federal charter, five years after the expiration of the First Bank of the United States. President James Madison, who had opposed the First Bank as unconstitutional in 1791, now supports the Second …

President James Madison U.S. Congress Second Bank of the United States William Jones financial-corruption banking-fraud institutional-capture speculation

General James Wilkinson Commands War of 1812 Campaigns While Taking Contractor Kickbacks and Spanish Bribes

1813-07-01 00:00:00 +0000 UTC | Importance: 8/10

General James Wilkinson, the highest-ranking federal official ever tried for treason and espionage, commands two unsuccessful military invasion campaigns in the St. Lawrence River valley theater in Canada during the War of 1812 while simultaneously accepting kickbacks from contractors and receiving …

General James Wilkinson Spanish Empire U.S. Army contractors President James Madison military-corruption espionage contractor-fraud accountability-evasion elite-impunity

War of 1812 Declared, Enabling Widespread Profiteering and Contractor Fraud

1812-06-18 00:00:00 +0000 UTC | Importance: 7/10

The United States Congress declares war on Great Britain, initiating the War of 1812 ostensibly over British impressment of American sailors, trade restrictions, and western expansion conflicts. The declaration creates immediate opportunities for systematic profiteering, contractor fraud, and …

President James Madison U.S. Congress British Empire War profiteers war-profiteering institutional-corruption military-industrial-complex contractor-fraud