Reports emerged that multiple U.S. Senators sold significant amounts of stock after attending classified briefings on the COVID-19 pandemic, but before the public understood the severity of the crisis and before markets crashed. On January 24, 2020, the Senate Committees on Health and Foreign …
Richard BurrKelly LoefflerTucker CarlsonCongressional CorruptionInsider TradingRepublican PartyCOVID-19STOCK Act+2 more
Former U.S. Representative Chris Collins (R-NY) was sentenced to 26 months in federal prison, one year of supervised release, and a $200,000 fine by Judge Vernon S. Broderick for insider trading and making false statements to the FBI. Collins, who was the first member of Congress to endorse Donald …
Chris CollinsCameron CollinsDonald TrumpVernon S. BroderickCongressional CorruptionInsider TradingRepublican PartyNew YorkSecurities Fraud+2 more
U.S. Representative Duncan D. Hunter pleaded guilty in federal court in San Diego to one count of conspiracy to misuse campaign funds, admitting that he and his wife knowingly and willfully stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to maintain their lifestyle. The guilty plea …
Duncan HunterMargaret HunterDonald TrumpCongressional CorruptionCampaign Finance ViolationsRepublican PartyCaliforniaPolitical Accountability+1 more
U.S. Representative Duncan D. Hunter (R-CA) and his wife Margaret E. Hunter were indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of California on 60 counts including wire fraud, falsifying records, campaign finance violations, and conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States. …
Duncan HunterMargaret HunterCongressional CorruptionCampaign Finance ViolationsRepublican PartyCaliforniaWire Fraud+1 more
Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert was sentenced to 15 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine by U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin, who described him as a “serial child molester” during an emotional sentencing hearing. Though Hastert was only charged with …
Dennis HastertThomas DurkinScott CrossCongressional CorruptionSexual AbuseCover-upRepublican PartyPolitical Accountability+2 more
Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of structuring bank withdrawals to evade reporting requirements, admitting he illegally withdrew approximately $1.7 million in cash from multiple bank accounts in amounts under $10,000 to avoid triggering mandatory bank …
Dennis HastertCongressional CorruptionSexual AbuseCover-upRepublican PartyBank Fraud+1 more
Sexual abuse allegations against former House Speaker Dennis Hastert became public when Jolene Reinboldt Burdge revealed on ABC News’ Good Morning America that her deceased brother, Steve Reinboldt, had told her in 1979 that he was sexually abused by Hastert throughout his four years at …
Dennis HastertJolene Reinboldt BurdgeSteve ReinboldtCongressional CorruptionSexual AbuseCover-upRepublican PartyPolitical Accountability+1 more
A seven-page federal indictment was unsealed charging former House Speaker Dennis Hastert with structuring bank withdrawals to evade reporting requirements and making false statements to the FBI. Hastert, who served as the longest-serving Republican House Speaker in history (1999-2007) and was third …
Dennis HastertCongressional CorruptionSexual AbuseCover-upRepublican PartyBank Fraud+1 more
Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife Maureen were indicted on 14 counts of fraud and conspiracy by a federal grand jury, making McDonnell the first Virginia governor to be indicted or convicted of a felony. The charges stemmed from their acceptance of more than $175,000 in gifts, …
Bob McDonnellMaureen McDonnellJonnie WilliamsCongressional CorruptionGubernatorial CorruptionRepublican PartyVirginiaBribery+2 more
President Obama signed legislation that gutted key provisions of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, just one year after the law was passed with great fanfare to combat congressional insider trading. The amendment eliminated the requirement for creating a searchable, sortable …
Barack ObamaCongressional CorruptionInsider TradingRegulatory CaptureEthics Reform RollbackPolitical Accountability+1 more
Former U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and false statements, admitting he misused approximately $750,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses over several years. Jackson, the son of civil …
Jesse Jackson Jr.Sandra Stevens JacksonCongressional CorruptionCampaign Finance ViolationsDemocratic PartyIllinoisWire Fraud+1 more
The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act gained explosive momentum after CBS’s 60 Minutes aired an investigation on November 13, 2011, revealing that several members of Congress allegedly used non-public information obtained through their official positions for personal …
Scott BrownKirsten GillibrandBrian BairdCongressional CorruptionInsider TradingPolitical AccountabilityFinancial RegulationEthics Reform
U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner (D-NY) announced his resignation from Congress effective June 23, 2011, after admitting he sent sexually explicit photos and messages to at least six women over three years through Twitter, Facebook, email, and phone—and then lied about it to the public and media. …
Anthony WeinerHuma AbedinBarack ObamaNancy PelosiCongressional CorruptionSexual MisconductDemocratic PartyNew YorkCover-up+1 more
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris were arrested at the governor’s home on federal corruption charges, including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery. The 76-page FBI affidavit revealed that Blagojevich was captured on …
Rod BlagojevichBarack ObamaPatrick FitzgeraldDonald TrumpGubernatorial CorruptionDemocratic PartyIllinoisBriberyWire Fraud+2 more
U.S. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK), the longest-serving Republican senator in history and former President Pro Tempore, was indicted on seven felony counts of making false statements on his financial disclosure forms. The indictment alleged that Stevens knowingly failed to report receiving more than …
Ted StevensBill AllenEric HolderCongressional CorruptionRepublican PartyAlaskaProsecutorial MisconductEthics Violations+1 more
Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) pleaded guilty in federal court in San Diego to conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. The decorated Vietnam War fighter ace admitted to accepting at least $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors in exchange for …
Duke CunninghamMitchell WadeCarol LamDonald TrumpCongressional CorruptionDefense ContractorsBriberyRepublican PartyMilitary Contracts+2 more
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) was indicted by a Texas grand jury on one count of criminal conspiracy related to an alleged illegal campaign finance scheme. On October 3, a third grand jury indicted DeLay for the more serious offense of money laundering.
The charges stem from allegations …
Tom DeLayCongressional CorruptionCampaign Finance ViolationsRepublican PartyTexasMoney Laundering+1 more
Lobbyist Jack Abramoff and business partner Adam Kidan were indicted by a federal grand jury in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy related to their 2000 purchase of SunCruz Casinos, a fleet of Florida gambling boats. The indictment alleged that Abramoff and Kidan had …
Jack AbramoffAdam KidanCongressional CorruptionWire FraudJack AbramoffGambling IndustryPolitical Accountability
FBI agents raided the home of Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-LA) in Northeast Washington and discovered $90,000 in cash hidden in his freezer, wrapped in aluminum foil in $10,000 increments and stuffed inside frozen-food containers. The serial numbers on the currency matched funds the FBI had provided …
William JeffersonLori ModyCongressional CorruptionBriberyDemocratic PartyLouisianaFBI Investigation+2 more