After the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act (cap-and-trade climate bill) on June 26, 2009, the Koch brothers’ network immediately launched a massive campaign to kill the legislation in the Senate. Americans for Prosperity, whose top …
Koch brothersCharles KochDavid KochAmericans for ProsperityHeritage Foundation+4 moreclimate-denialregulatory-capturelobbyingenvironmentalcorporate-corruption+1 more
Congress passes the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution based on the systematically manipulated intelligence provided by the White House Iraq Group, representing the successful completion of WHIG’s campaign to corrupt legislative war powers. The House votes 296-133 …
White House Iraq GroupU.S. House of RepresentativesU.S. SenateHillary ClintonJohn Kerry+6 morewhigiraq-war-authorizationcongressional-deceptionconstitutional-crisisseparation-of-powers+3 more
In the early evening of Friday, December 15, 2000, with Christmas recess only hours away and the presidential election still unresolved, the U.S. Senate rushes to pass an essential 11,000-page government reauthorization bill. Senator Phil Gramm of Texas inserts a complex 262-page amendment - the …
Phil GrammU.S. SenateU.S. House of RepresentativesBill ClintonEnron Corporationderivativescfmalegislative-corruptionenron-loopholelame-duck+2 more
President Bill Clinton signs the U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000, granting China Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status and ending the annual congressional review process that had existed since 1980 under Jackson-Vanik provisions. The House passed the legislation on May 24, 2000 and the …
Bill ClintonU.S. SenateU.S. House of RepresentativesChinese governmentCorporate Lobbies+1 morechinatrade-policywtopntrglobalization+3 more
On June 4, 1919, the U.S. Senate voted in favor of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which stated that “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” The Senate vote came nearly 18 months …
U.S. SenateU.S. House of RepresentativesWoodrow WilsonNational American Woman Suffrage AssociationNational Woman's Partywomens-suffrageconstitutional-amendmentdemocratic-expansioncongressional-action
The U.S. House Committee on Banking and Currency subcommittee headed by Rep. Arsène Pujo of Louisiana began hearings to investigate the “money trust”—a concentrated group of Wall Street bankers exerting powerful control over the nation’s finances. The investigation arose from …
Arsène PujoSamuel UntermyerJP MorganGeorge F. BakerJames E. Stillman+1 morebanking-consolidationprogressive-erafinancial-capturejp-morgancongressional-investigation
The House of Representatives votes to impeach Secretary of War William W. Belknap on March 2, 1876—just minutes after he races to the White House, hands President Grant his resignation, and bursts into tears. Belknap becomes the first cabinet secretary in U.S. history to be impeached for his role in …
William W. BelknapUlysses S. GrantCaleb MarshHiester ClymerU.S. House of Representativessystematic-corruptionexecutive-branch-corruptioninstitutional-captureelite-impunity
The U.S. House of Representatives launches an investigation into the Credit Mobilier scandal following the September 1872 New York Sun exposé revealing systematic bribery of congressmen with railroad company stock. The investigation examines how Congressman Oakes Ames distributed discounted Credit …
U.S. House of RepresentativesOakes Ames (Congressman)James Brooks (Congressman)Poland Committeesystematic-corruptioninstitutional-capturepolitical-briberyweak-accountability
The House of Representatives votes 126-47 to impeach President Andrew Johnson on February 24, 1868—the first presidential impeachment in American history. The precipitating event is Johnson’s February 21 attempt to fire Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and replace him with Lorenzo Thomas in …
Andrew JohnsonEdwin StantonU.S. House of RepresentativesRadical RepublicansLorenzo Thomas+1 morereconstruction-sabotagepresidential-corruptioninstitutional-capturedemocratic-erosion
Simon Cameron submits his resignation as Secretary of War on January 11, 1862 (remaining until January 20), amid investigations into War Department procurement irregularities and cabinet disagreements over emancipation policy and patronage distribution. Lincoln appointed Cameron, a Pennsylvania …
Simon CameronAbraham LincolnEdwin M. StantonAlexander CummingsU.S. House of Representativeswar-profiteeringcorruptiongovernment-contractspatronageaccountability-failure
Representative Preston Brooks, a pro-slavery Democrat from South Carolina, enters the Senate chamber and beats Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts nearly to death with a metal-topped cane, striking him repeatedly on the head while Sumner attempts futilely to protect himself. The attack follows …
Preston BrooksCharles SumnerAndrew ButlerU.S. SenateU.S. House of Representativespolitical-violenceslave-powerinstitutional-corruptionbleeding-kansassenate-violence
On August 8, 1846, amidst the Mexican-American War, Democratic Congressman David Wilmot of Pennsylvania introduces an amendment to President James Polk’s $2 million appropriation bill for purchasing territory from Mexico, boldly declaring that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude …
David WilmotJames K. PolkU.S. House of RepresentativesU.S. SenateNorthern Democrats+1 morewilmot-provisoslavery-expansionsectional-conflictmexican-american-warterritorial-expansion+1 more
The House of Representatives passes the Pinckney Resolutions, authored by Henry L. Pinckney of South Carolina, establishing what becomes known as the “gag rule”—a resolution automatically “tabling” all antislavery petitions, prohibiting them from being printed, read, …
Henry L. PinckneyJohn Quincy AdamsU.S. House of RepresentativesAmerican Anti-Slavery SocietyPro-slavery Democratsgag-ruleslave-powerlegislative-capturecensorshipfirst-amendment+1 more
The House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams as president on February 9, 1825, despite Andrew Jackson winning both the popular vote (152,901 to 114,023) and the highest electoral vote count (99, though short of the required majority). When no candidate achieved an electoral majority in the …
John Quincy AdamsHenry ClayAndrew JacksonWilliam CrawfordU.S. House of Representativesinstitutional-capturesystematic-corruptionelectoral-fraudpolitical-deceptiondemocratic-erosion
The U.S. House of Representatives elects John Quincy Adams as president despite Andrew Jackson having won both a plurality of the popular vote (41%) and the Electoral College (99 votes to Adams’s 84), in what becomes known as the “Corrupt Bargain.” The 1824 presidential election …
John Quincy AdamsHenry ClayAndrew JacksonWilliam H. CrawfordU.S. House of Representativeselectoral-corruptionpolitical-dealselite-manipulationdemocratic-erosion