Scandal Scorecard - The Never Ending Story

And so it grows...the Scorecard is up to 26 entries, with the Executive Branch hitting 20 all by its lonesome this time out. 20 cases in which investigations are being held, or fines have been levied, or careers have been destroyed. Literally billions of dollars in mis- and malfeasance. The most corrupt administration in American history, by most any measure.

And while they can't hold a candle to the crowd in the White House, the Republican Congress hasn't got anything to be proud of either.

Here it is, The Never Ending Story edition...(new entries in bold)


Executive Branch:

1. Cheney's secret Energy Task Force

2. Ashcroft's illegal campaign contributions in 2000

3. Boeing I - the $23 billion tanker lease deal

4. Boeing II - the $1.3 billion surveillance aircraft boondoggle

5. Bush-Cheney 2000 fined $90K for failure to report $14 million spent on "recount" activities

6. Haliburton in Iraq

7. Haliburton in Nigeria

8. The Valerie Plame outing

9. Withholding information about the Medicare bill costs

10. Daniel Montgomery, Director of the Air Transportation Stabilization Board, accepting improper gifts from airlines.

11. John Korsmo, Federal Housing Finance Board chair and his wife Michelle, DOL official, illegal political fundraising

12. The suspension of Parks Police Chief Teresa Chambers in violation of Title 5 whistleblower protections.

13. The Iraqi National Congress' possible use of government funds to lobby for war.

14. Misuse of the Secret Service and other security to shield the President and Vice President from dissent on the campaign trail.

15. Abuse of the Presidential Records Act, to shield Reagan, Bush I and Bush II from scrutiny, and leaking information about Clinton pardons.

16. DOJ and Interior blocking the investigation of oil leases that cheated American Indian nations.

17. Charges by John Dean that Bush knowingly violated the terms of the Iraq war resolution

18. Diversion of $700 million in Afghan war funds to preparations for Iraq invasion

19. Failure to account for $40 billion in 9/11 emergency response funds

20. Use of IRS web site to disseminate political messages from RNC press releases

Congress:

21. Senate Judiciary Committee computer theft.

22. The Nick Smith bribe

23. The DeLay Texas fundraising scandal

24. Bill Frist's financial stake in a medical malpractice insurer, while pushing malpractice "reform" in the Senate.

25. Rep. Henry Bonilla's American Dream PAC, which has contributed less than 9% of its funds to the minority candidates it was chartered to assist.

26. The NRCC's illegal transfer of $500,000 in soft money to ineligible recipients during the 1999 primary season

There. I typed it. Now I need to go wash my hands....