Congress begins investigating whether HUD Secretary Samuel Pierce engaged in mismanagement and abuse of resources during his eight-year tenure under Reagan, uncovering that the department became a center of influence peddling and favoritism toward Pierce’s friends and political allies. During …
Samuel PierceDeborah Gore DeanJames WattThomas DemeryU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developmentinstitutional-capturesystematic-corruptionhousing-policyrevolving-door
Comprehensive organizational analysis reveals the Heritage Foundation’s structure as a systematic corporate capture mechanism. Founded by Paul Weyrich, Edwin Feulner, and funded with Joseph Coors’ $250,000 seed money, Heritage grew from startup to $100M+ annual revenue by 2010s, reaching …
Heritage FoundationPaul WeyrichEdwin FeulnerJoseph CoorsRichard Mellon Scaife+3 moreorganizational-profilethink-tank-infrastructurecorporate-capturerevolving-doordark-money+2 more
The House Armed Services Special Investigations Subcommittee, led by Rep. F. Edward Hebert (D-La.), released a shocking report documenting the extent of the defense industry revolving door. After questioning 75 witnesses over 25 days in mid-1959, the subcommittee found that more than 1,400 retired …
F. Edward HebertHouse Armed Services CommitteeGeneral DynamicsFrank Pacerevolving-doordefense-contractorscongressional-investigationmilitary-industrial-complexregulatory-capture
Congress holds 25 hearings throughout 1959 to investigate the revolving door between defense contractors and senior military officials, marking the first systematic examination of conflicts of interest in weapons procurement. General Omar Bradley, who served as the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs …
U.S. CongressGeneral Omar BradleyDepartment of DefenseDefense Contractorsrevolving-doormilitary-industrial-complexdefense-contractsconflict-of-interestcongressional-oversight
The Senate Armed Services Committee confirms Charles Erwin “Engine Charlie” Wilson as Secretary of Defense by a vote of 77 to 6, despite controversy over his massive General Motors stockholdings valued at more than $2.5 million (approximately $24 million in 2018 dollars). Wilson had …
Charles Erwin WilsonDwight EisenhowerGeneral MotorsSenate Armed Services CommitteeDepartment of Defensemilitary-industrial-complexrevolving-doorconflict-of-interestcorporate-state-fusiondefense-policy
The House Armed Services Committee exonerates Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson and Air Force Secretary Stuart Symington of corruption charges related to the B-36 bomber contract, despite Johnson’s recent service on Convair Corporation’s board of directors. An anonymous document …
Louis JohnsonConvair CorporationHouse Armed Services CommitteeCarl VinsonStuart Symington+1 moremilitary-industrial-complexrevolving-doorconflict-of-interestdefense-contractssystematic-corruption+1 more
James Vincent Forrestal, a successful Wall Street financier who ran the investment bank Dillon, Read & Co., becomes the first United States Secretary of Defense when the National Military Establishment is formally established. Forrestal’s appointment represents the archetypal revolving …
James ForrestalHarry TrumanDepartment of DefenseDillon, Read & Co.military-industrial-complexrevolving-doorwall-street-capturedefense-policyinstitutional-capture+1 more
President Franklin D. Roosevelt creates the War Production Board (WPB) to coordinate wartime production, staffing it with corporate executives as ‘dollar-a-year men.’ This establishes a precedent for corporate-government partnership where business leaders shape government policy while …
Franklin D. RooseveltDonald NelsonWar Production BoardDefense contractorsWilliam Knudsencorporate-government-fusionwar-profiteeringrevolving-doordefense-industryinstitutional-capture
President Roosevelt appoints Joseph P. Kennedy, a wealthy Wall Street speculator known for stock manipulation and insider trading, as the first chairman of the newly-created Securities and Exchange Commission on July 2, 1934. The appointment shocks New Deal reformers and delights Wall Street, …
Franklin D. RooseveltJoseph P. KennedySecurities and Exchange Commission (SEC)Wall Streetregulatory-capturenew-dealsecfinancial-regulationrevolving-door
The United States government established the War Industries Board (WIB) to coordinate the purchase of war supplies between the War Department and Navy Department during World War I. The WIB existed from July 1917 to December 1918 to coordinate and channel production by setting priorities, fixing …
Bernard BaruchPresident Woodrow WilsonWar DepartmentNavy Departmentworld-war-icorporate-powergovernment-industryrevolving-doorinstitutional-capture