Ethics in Congress: From Individual to Institutional Corruption / Edition 1

by Dennis F. Thompson

Overview

"More members of Congress have been investigated and sanctioned for ethical misconduct in the past decade and a half than in the entire previous history of the institution. But individual members are probably less corrupt than they once were. Stricter ethics codes and closer scrutiny by the press and public have imposed standards no previous representatives have had to face. Dennis Thompson shows how the institution itself is posing new ethical challenges, how the complexity of the environment in which members work creates new occasions for corruption and invites more calls for accountability.

Instead of the individual corruption that has long been the center of attention, Thompson focuses on institutional corruption which refers to conduct that under certain conditions is an acceptable part of the job of a representative. Members are required to solicit campaign contributions, and they are expected to help constituents with their problems with government, but some ways of doing these jobs give rise to institutional corruption. The author moves the discussion beyond bribery, extortion, and simple personal gain to delve into implicit understandings, ambiguous favors, and political advantage.

Thompson examines many major ethics cases of recent years. Among them: the case of David Durenberger, accused of supplementing his income through book promotions; the case of the Keating Five, accused of using undue influence with the Federal Home Loan Bank Board on behalf of Lincoln Savings and Loan owner Charles Keating; and the case of House Speaker James Wright, accused of several offenses.

Thompson shows why neither the electoral process nor the judicial process is sufficient and argues for stronger ethics committees and the creation of a new quasi-independent body to take over some of the enforcement process. He offers more than a dozen recommendations for changes in the procedures and practices of ethics in Congress.

The book features a listing of ethics charges, classified by type of corruption, considered by Congress from 1789 to 1992.

Selected by Choice as an Outstanding Book of 1995

"

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780815784234
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	07/01/1995
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	6.01(w) x 8.93(h) x 0.63(d)
Lexile:	1490L (what's this?)

About the Author

Dennis F. Thompson, the Alfred North Whitehead Professor of Political Philosophy and director of the Program in Ethics and the Professions at Harvard University, is the author of "Political Ethics and Public Office" (Harvard, 1987).

Table of Contents

	Preface	xi
	Introduction	1
1.	Purposes of Legislative Ethics	10
	Personal Ethics and Legislative Ethics	11
	The Priority of Legislative Ethics	16
	The Scope of Legislative Ethics	18
	Principles of Legislative Ethics	19
	Legislative Ethics and Institutional Corruption	24
2.	Dynamics of Legislative Corruption	26
	The Elements of Corruption	28
	The Individual Corruption of David Durenberger	34
	The Institutional Corruption of the Keating Five	37
	The Diverse Corruptions of James C. Wright, Jr.	43
3.	Gains of Office	49
	The Legitimacy of Personal Gain	49
	General Offenses	52
	Conflicts of Interest	55
	Perquisites of Office	60
	The Imperatives of Political Gain	65
	Ambition and Independence	69
	Fairness to Colleagues, Challengers, and Congress	72
4.	Services of Office	77
	Undeserved Service	78
	Favoritism	80
	Institutional Consequences of Constituent Service	84
	Limitations of Legal Standards	88
	Limitations of Ethical Standards	90
	Toward Stronger Standards	93
5.	Corrupt Connections	102
	Corrupt Motives	103
	Mixed Motives	108
	Short-Circuiting the Democratic Process	113
	The Root of Some Evil	115
	The Importance of Appearances	124
6.	Tribunals of Legislative Ethics	131
	The Deficiencies of Self-Discipline	132
	Letting Voters Decide	137
	Letting Courts Decide	143
	Strengthening the Ethics Committees	147
	Conclusion	166
Appendix	Charges of Ethics Violations Considered by Congress, 1789-1992	182
	Notes	191
	Index	239

Editorial Reviews

Thompson (political philosophy, Harvard U.) argues that the demand for accountability in the political environment has rendered traditional codes of conduct inadequate. He identifies the less familiar forms of institutional corruption such as implicit understandings and political advantage, and examines the cases of David Durenberger, the Keating Five, and House Speaker James Wright. Includes an appendix of charges of ethics violations considered by Congress from 1789 to 1992. Paper edition (unseen), $14.95. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

"A lucid perspective on the state of congressional ethics.... Readable, erudite, and subtly argued." — Kirkus Review

"This important book on a timeless topic should be added to every serious political library.
" — Choice

"Thompson's commonsense, real world approach, when combined with his scholarship and brilliance, make this a major contribution to the field of congressional ethics." —Robert S. Bennet, Former Special Counsel, Senate Ethics Committee, Endors

"a suggestion for the policy wonk on your Christmas shopping list" —Kathy Gill, About.com, 12/10/2007

"The whole area of Congressional ethics is in desperate need of nuance, analytical rigor, and attention to the problems that really matter. Thompson brings those qualities to the topic. His move to institutional corruption is important conceptually because most people, practitioners and thoughtful commentators alike, are preoccupied with individual corruption. And it's important practically because that preoccupation blinds everybody to some truly important issues. Thompson brings a rare clarity, perspective, and detachment to these matters." —John Kingdon, University of Michigan, Author of Congressmen's Voting Decisions

"Exemplifies bold intellectual leadership. It identifies, clarifies, and illustrates the political problem of institutional corruption. It is an elegant analysis of practices of Congress and principles of representative democracy by some one who wants to strengthen both." —Richard F. Fenno, University of Rochester

From the Publisher