Before you caught, “high hopes,” exactly what about Trump, and his past, led you to believe his words, when he said he’d drain the swamp? Identify, by name, who “the swamp” are; and how you’ve come to believe that they deserve that label; and what they have done to deserve that label. Since you bought into this campaign slogan as truth, I assumed Trump must have explained who “the swamp” individuals are, and what they’ve done. Show us where Trump has identified who he believes “the swamp” individuals are? Do you believe Trump is an excessive liar? Do you believe Trump bullshitted you?
The Swamp is a term that Trump may have coined, or at least popularized to describe rampant Federal corruption as shown in political leadership and Congressional approval polls that often was below 20% for decades. Myself, as well as most people I’ve talked to, felt our Federal Government has been self-serving for a long time. Trump obviously felt this as well and decided to campaign on it, among other things. As far as Trump’s honesty, yes he has lied. Trump has lied on both immaterial things and on material things. Trump has also told the truth, even when it hurt him. Several times. For example, while campaigning against Hillary, he basically said he paid politicians for favors on at least a couple of occasions. It seems rare for anyone running for political office to admit to anything that could be construed negatively. By this measure, Trump could be looked at as above average or maybe even exceptional as far as honesty in today’s political environment. The Swamp represents the sum total of scandals, convictions, legislations that diminished our rights, and excessive Presidential pardons that suggest we are not actually equal under the law as suggested by our Constitution. The following are lists of scandals under the Bush Administration. Obama Administration scandals continue in another post due to post length restrictions. Specifics on convictions and Presidental pardons covering the Obama and Bush Administrations that I associate with The Swamp and presumably most of us, including Trump, does too are not shown due to the length of this post. Easy enough to look up on wikipedia.org or google.com though. From wikipedia.org: George W. Bush administrations (2001–2009)Edit Executive branchEdit Joseph E. Schmitz (R) was nominated by President George W. Bush (R) to be Defense Department Inspector General on June 18, 2001. He resigned on September 9, 2005, in the wake of several allegations by Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), including that he had obstructed the FBI investigation of John A. Shaw.[457][458][459][460] Walter Reed Army Medical Center neglect scandal (2007) about substandard conditions for wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center including long delays in treatment, rodent infestation and outbreaks of mold resulted in the relief of three senior staff; Francis J. Harvey (R) Secretary of the Army, appointed by G. W. Bush, resigned[461][462][463] Maj. Gen. George Weightman ( ) was fired for failures linked to the scandal[464][465][466][467] Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley (R) appointed by G. W. Bush, was relieved of command resigned for failures linked to the scandal.[468][469] Timothy Goeglein, Special Assistant to President Bush, resigned in 2008 when it was discovered that more than twenty of his columns had been plagiarized from an Indiana newspaper.[470] Scott Bloch was appointed by President George W. Bush to head the United States Office of Special Counsel. On April 27, 2010, Bloch pleaded guilty to criminal contempt of Congress for "willfully and unlawfully withholding pertinent information from a House committee investigating his decision to have several government computers wiped...."[471] On February 2, Magistrate Judge Deborah A. Robinson ruled that Bloch faces a mandatory sentence of at least one month in prison.[472][473] Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Chief of Staff to Vice President Dick Cheney (R), was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in the Plame affair on March 6, 2007. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined $250,000. The sentence was commuted by George W. Bush on July 1, 2007. The felony remains on Libby's record, though the jail time and fine were commuted.[474][475] President Donald Trump fully pardoned Libby on April 13, 2018.[476][477] Alphonso Jackson, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, resigned while under investigation by the Justice Department for alleged cronyism and favoritism[478] Karl Rove, Senior Adviser to President George W. Bush, was investigated by the Office of Special Counsel for "improper political influence over government decision-making", as well as for his involvement in several other scandals such as Lawyergate, Bush White House email controversy and Plame affair. He resigned in April 2007. (See Karl Rove in the George W. Bush administration)[479] Richard J. Griffin, the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security appointed by George W. Bush who made key decisions regarding the department's oversight of private security contractor Blackwater USA, resigned in November 2007, after a critical review by the House Oversight Committee found that his office had failed to adequately supervise private contractors during the Blackwater Baghdad shootings protecting U.S. diplomats in Iraq.[480] Republican contributor Howard Krongard[481] was appointed Inspector General of the US State Department by President George W. Bush in 2005.[482] was accused by the House Oversight Committee of improperly interfering with investigations into private security contractor Blackwater USA concerning the Blackwater Baghdad shootings. Krongard resigned in December 2007.[483][484] "Lawyergate"[485] or the Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy refers to President Bush firing, without explanation, eleven Republican federal prosecutors whom he himself had appointed. It is alleged that they were fired for prosecuting Republicans and not prosecuting Democrats.[486][487] When Congressional hearings were called, a number of senior Justice Departmentofficials cited executive privilege and refused to testify under oath and instead resigned, including: Attorney General Alberto Gonzales[488] Karl Rove, Advisor to President Bush[489] Harriet Miers, Legal Counsel to President Bush, was found in Contempt of Congress[490] Michael A. Battle, Director of Executive Office of US Attorneys in the Justice Department[491] Bradley Schlozman, Director of Executive Office of US Attorneys who replaced Battle[492] Michael Elston, Chief of Staff to Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty[493] Paul McNulty, Deputy Attorney General to William Mercer[494] William W. Mercer, Associate Attorney General to Alberto Gonzales[495] Kyle Sampson, Chief of Staff to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales[491] Monica Goodling, Liaison between President Bush and the Justice Department[496] Joshua Bolten, Deputy Chief of Staff to President Bush was found in Contempt of Congress[490] Sara M. Taylor, Aide to Presidential Advisor Karl Rove[497] Bush White House email controversy – During the Lawyergate investigation it was discovered that the Bush administration used Republican National Committee (RNC) web servers for millions of emails which were then destroyed, lost or deleted in possible violation of the Presidential Records Act and the Hatch Act. George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, Andrew Card, Sara Taylor and Scott Jennings all used RNC webservers for the majority of their emails. Of 88 officials investigated, 51 showed no emails at all.[498] As many as five million emails requested by Congressional investigators were therefore unavailable, lost, or deleted.[499] Lurita Alexis Doan (R) Administrator of General Services, investigated for "the most pernicious of political activity" at work. The team also recommended she be "disciplined to the fullest extent." Among other things she asked GSA employees how they could "help Republican candidates". She resigned. (2000)[500][501][502][503] J. Steven Griles (R) Deputy to the Secretary of the Interior pled guilty to obstruction of justice and was sentenced to 10 months.[504][505][506] John Korsmo, chairman of the Federal Housing Finance Board, pleaded guilty to lying to congress and sentenced to 18 months of unsupervised probation and fined $5,000. (2005)[507][508] Philip Cooney (R) Bush appointed to chair the Council on Environmental Quality, was accused of editing government climate reports to emphasize doubts about global warming.[509] Two days later, Cooney announced his resignation[510] and later conceded his role in altering reports. Stating "My sole loyalty was to the President and advancing the policies of his administration".[511][512] The Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal involved Jack Abramoff, a prominent Republican lobbyist with close ties to administration officials, legislators, and staff who offered bribes as part of his lobbying efforts. Abramoff was sentenced to 4 years in prison.[513][514] See also George W. Bush's legislative branch for 11 legislators and staff caught in the investigation. Executive branch personnel involved include: David Safavian (R) CoS of the GSA (General Services Administration) was convicted of making false statements as part of the Jack Abramoff lobbying and corruption scandal and was sentenced to one year in prison. (2005)[515][516] found guilty of blocking justice and lying,[517] and sentenced to 18 months[518] Roger Stillwell (R) staff in the Department of the Interior, pleaded guilty and received two years suspended sentence.[519] Susan B. Ralston (R) Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to Karl Rove, resigned on October 6, 2006, after it became known that she accepted gifts and passed information to her former boss Jack Abramoff.[520] J. Steven Griles (R) Deputy to the Secretary of the Interior pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and was sentenced to 10 months[504] Italia Federici (R) staff to the Secretary of the Interior and President of the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, pled guilty to tax evasion and obstruction of justice. She was sentenced to four years' probation.[521][522][523] Jared Carpenter (R) Vice President of the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, was discovered during the Abramoff investigation and pled guilty to income tax evasion. He got 45 days, plus 4 years' probation.[524] Mark Zachares (R) staff in the Department of Labor, bribed by Abramoff, guilty of conspiracy to defraud.[514] Robert E. Coughlin (R) Deputy Chief of Staff of the Criminal Division of the Justice Department, pleaded guilty to conflict of interest after accepting bribes from Jack Abramoff. (2008)[525] Kyle Foggo (R) CIA Executive Director was convicted of honest services fraud in the awarding of a government contract and sentenced to 37 months in federal prison at Pine Knot, Kentucky. On September 29, 2008, Foggo pleaded guilty to one count of the indictment, admitting that while he was the CIA executive director, he acted to steer a CIA contract to the firm of his lifelong friend, Brent R. Wilkes.[526] Julie MacDonald (R) Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Interior, resigned on May 1, 2007, after giving government documents to developers (2007)[527] Claude Allen (R) appointed as an advisor by President Bush (R) on Domestic Policy, was arrested for a series of felony thefts in retail stores. (2006)[528] Lester Crawford, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, resigned after two months. He pleaded guilty to conflict of interest and received a 3-year suspended sentence and fined $90,000 (2006)[529] The 2003 Invasion of Iraq depended on intelligence that Saddam Hussein was developing "weapons of mass destruction" (WMDs) meaning nuclear, chemical and/or biological weapons for offensive use. As revealed by The (British) Downing Street memo "Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and the facts were being fixed around the policy" The press called this the "smoking gun". (2005)[530] Yellowcake forgery – Just before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration presented evidence to the UN that Iraq was seeking material (yellowcake uranium) in Africa for making nuclear weapons. Though presented as true, it was later found to be not only dubious, but outright false.[531][532] Coalition Provisional Authority Cash Payment Scandal – On June 20, 2005, the staff of the Committee on Government Reform prepared a report for Congressman Henry Waxman.[533] It was revealed that $12 billion in cash had been delivered to Iraq by C-130 planes, on shrinkwrapped pallets of US$100 bills.[534] The United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, concluded that "Many of the funds appear to have been lost to corruption and waste.... Some of the funds could have enriched both criminals and insurgents...." Henry Waxman, commented, "Who in their right mind would send 363 tons of cash into a war zone?" A single flight to Iraq on December 12, 2003, which contained $1.5 billion in cash is said to be the largest single Federal Reserve payout in US history.[535][536][537] Bush administration payment of columnists were done with federal funds to say nice things about Republican policies. Illegal payments were made to journalists Armstrong Williams, Maggie Gallagher and Michael McManus (2004–2005)[538] John A. Shaw (R) was appointed by George W. Bush as Under Secretary of Defense.[539] He was investigated on corruption although charges were never filed against him, he was asked to resign in 2004.[540] When he refused to resign, he was fired by the Bush administration on December 10, 2004.[459][541][542] The Bernard Kerik nomination in 2004 as Secretary of Homeland Security was derailed by past employment of an illegal alien as a nanny, and other improprieties. On November 4, 2009, he pleaded guilty to two counts of tax fraud and five counts of lying to the federal government and was sentenced to four years in prison.[543] Plame affair – CIA agent Valerie Plame's name was leaked by Richard Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State, to the press in retaliation for her husband's criticism of the reports used by George W. Bush to legitimize the Iraq war.[544] Armitage admitted he was the leak[545] but no wrongdoing was found. Thomas A. Scully, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), withheld information from Congress about the projected cost of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, and allegedly threatened to fire Medicare's chief actuary, Richard Foster, if Foster provided the data to Congress. (2003)[546][547] A few days after the bill was signed, Scully resigned (2003) NSA warrantless surveillance – Shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001, President George W. Bush (R) implemented a secret program by the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on domestic telephone calls by American citizens without warrants, thus by-passing the FISA court which must approve all such actions. (2002)[548] In 2010, Federal Judge Vaughn Walker ruled this practice to be illegal.[549] Janet Rehnquist (daughter of former Chief Justice William Rehnquist) was the appointed Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services by George W. Bush. In 2002, Governor Jeb Bush's (R-FL) Chief of Staff Kathleen Shanahan asked Rehnquist to delay auditing a $571 million federal overpayment to the State of Florida. Rehnquist ordered her staff to delay the investigation for five months until after the Florida elections. When Congress began an investigation into the matter, Rehnquist resigned in March 2003, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family.[550][551][failed verification][552][552][553][554] John Yoo, an attorney in the Office of Legal Counsel inside the Justice Department who, worked closely with vice president Dick Cheney and the Bush Six,[555] He wrote memos stating the right of the president to – suspend sections of the ABM Treaty without informing Congress[556] bypass the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act allowing warrantless wiretapping of US Citizens within the United States by the National Security Agency.[556] state that the First Amendment and Fourth Amendments and the Takings Clause do not apply to the president in time of war as defined in the USA Patriot Act[556] allow enhanced interrogation techniques (torture) because provisions of the War Crimes Act, the Third Geneva Convention, and the Torture convention do not apply.[556] Many of his memos have since been repudiated and reversed.[556][557] Later review by the Justice Department reported that Yoo and Jay Bybee used "poor judgement" in the memos, but no charges were filed.[558] Carl Truscott (R) Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, was appointed in 2004 but was soon under investigation for his management style and allegations of lavish spending and misuse of resources, including requiring a large number of agents as personal security, allocating hundreds of thousands of dollars of expensive upgrades to the ATF HQ building, adding a new garage to his house, detailing 20 agents to help with his nephew's high school project and other examples of poor financial judgment. Truscott resigned as the ATF Director on August 4, 2006.[559][560][561] John David Roy Atchison (R), Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, was arrested for intentions of having sex with a five-year-old. Atchison committed suicide before trial while in custody (2007)[562][563][564] Darleen A. Druyun was the Principal Deputy Undersecretary of the Air Force nominated by Bill Clinton in 1993.[565] She pleaded guilty to inflating the price of contracts to favor her future employer, Boeing. In October 2004, she was sentenced to nine months in jail for corruption, fined $5,000, given three years of supervised release and 150 hours of community service. She began her prison term on January 5, 2005.[566] CBS News called it "the biggest Pentagon scandal in 20 years" and said that she pleaded guilty to a felony.[567] Randall L. Tobias (R) US Director of Foreign Assistance, appointed by Republican President President George W. Bush was found to have been a client in the DC Madame prostitution investigation. Having officially encouraged abstinence, he resigned his position. (2007)[568][569][570] Legislative branchEdit James W. Treffinger (R-NJ) a US senatorial candidate pleaded guilty in 2003 to corruption and fraud as Chief Executive of Essex County and ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution and serve 13 months in jail.(2002)[571] Ted Stevens (R-AK) U.S. Senator, was convicted of seven counts of bribery and tax evasion on October 27, 2008. He then lost re-election. Newly appointed US Attorney General Eric Holder dismissed the charges "in the interest of justice" stating that the Justice Department had illegally withheld evidence from defense counsel.[572] Charles Rangel (D-NY) U.S. Representative, failed to report $75,000 income from the rental of his villa in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and was forced to pay $11,000 in back taxes. (September 2008)[573] Duke Cunningham (R-CA) US Representative from the 50th District, was accused of accepting $2.5 million in bribes (which included a 42 foot yacht and a Rolls Royce) from contractors doing business with the US government. He pled guilty to charges of conspiracy, bribery, mail fraud, and tax evasion in what came to be called the Cunningham scandal. He was tried and found guilty and sentenced to over eight years in prison. (2005)[574][575][576] Rick Renzi (R-AZ) announced he would not seek another term.[577]* He was later sentenced to three years in prison after conviction on federal corruption charges of extortion, bribery, insurance fraud, money laundering and racketeering related to a 2005 money-laundering scheme that netted the Flagstaff Republican more than $700,000. (2005)[578] Mark Foley (R-FL) resigned on September 29, 2006, after sending sexually explicit messages to former Congressional pages.[579] Jim Gibbons (U.S. politician) (R-NV) US House of Representatives from the 2nd District was campaigning for Governor when he walked waitress Chrissy Mazzeo to her car. She claimed he threw her against a wall and threatened to sexually assault her. He claimed she tripped and he caught her. The civil lawsuit was settled by the payment of $50,000 to Mazzeo. Six weeks later he was elected governor. See State scandals. (2006)[580][581][582] Tom DeLay (R-TX) US Representative and House Majority Leader, served from 1985 to 2006 when he resigned his position to undergo trial for conspiring to launder corporate money into political donations and money laundering during the 2002 elections. On November 24, 2010, DeLay was found guilty[583] and was sentenced to three years in prison and 10 years' probation, respectively. The ruling was overturned on appeal.[584] On September 19, 2013, the conviction was overturned.[585] Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal (R) The lobbyist found guilty of conspiracy, tax evasion and corruption of public officials in three different courts in a wide-ranging investigation. He served 70 months and was fined $24.7 million.[586] See George W. Bush's executive branch for eight others caught in the investigation. Legislators and staff involved include; Tom DeLay (R-TX) US Representative and House Majority Leader was reprimanded twice by the House Ethics Committee and his aides indicted (2004–2005); eventually DeLay himself was investigated in October 2005 in connection with the Abramoff scandal, but not indicted. DeLay resigned from the House June 9, 2006.[587] DeLay was found to have illegally channeled funds from Americans for a Republican Majority to Republican state legislator campaigns. He was convicted of two counts of money laundering and conspiracy in 2010.[588] His conviction was oveturned on appeal. Michael Scanlon (R) Communications Director to Tom DeLay, worked for Abramoff and pled guilty to bribery.[513][514] Tony Rudy (R) Deputy CoS to Tom DeLay, pleaded guilty to conspiracy.[514] Jim Ellis (R) Executive Director of Tom DeLay's Political Action Committee Americans for a Republican Majority(ARMPAC), was found guilty of money laundering.[589][590] John Colyandro (R) Executive Director of Tom DeLay's political action committee, Texans for a Republican Majority(TRMPAC), was indicted by Texas for money laundering[589] Bob Ney (R-OH) US Representative pleaded guilty to conspiracy and making false statements as a result of his receiving trips from Abramoff in exchange for legislative favors. Ney received 30 months in prison.[514][591] William Heaton (R) CoS to Bob Ney, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud[592] admitting to conspiring with Ney, Jack Abramoff and others to accept vacations, meals, tickets, and contributions to Ney's campaign in exchange for Ney benefitting Abramoff's clients. (2006)[593] Neil Volz (R) former CoS to Bob Ney, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy in 2006 charges stemming from his work for Bob Ney. In 2007 he was sentenced to two years' probation, 100 hours' community service, and a fine of $2,000.[594] John Albaugh (R) former CoS to Ernest Istook (R-OK), pled guilty to accepting bribes connected to the Federal Highway Bill. Istook was not charged. (2008)[595] James Hirni (R) former staff to Tim Hutchinson (R-AR), was charged with wire fraud for giving a staffer for Don Young(R) of Alaska a bribe in exchange for amendments to the Federal Highway Bill. (2008)[596] Kevin A. Ring (R) former staff to John Doolittle (R-CA), was convicted of five charges of corruption and honest services fraud. sentenced to 20 months.[597][598] Fraser C. Verrusio (R) Policy Director for US Senator Don Young (R-AK) of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee was investigated during the Jack Abramoff Scandal. Verrusio drafted favorable federal legislation for equipment rental companies through the Abramoff firm. He was accused of accepting bribes, such as tickets to the World Series and then lying about it. He was sentenced to ½ day in jail, 2 years probation and fined. (2011)[599][600][601] David Vitter (R-LA) US Senator, Vitters' name was discovered in the address book of DC Madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey. He admitted his adultery and lost his race for governor. (2007)[602][603] Cunningham scandal named after Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA) US Representative, pleaded guilty on November 28, 2005, to charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud and tax evasion. Sentenced to over eight years.[604] Mitchell Wade private contractor and "co-conspirator" with Cunningham Kyle Foggo Director of the CIA and friend to Wilkes, convicted of fraud Brent R. Wilkes private contractor Tan Nguyen (R-CA) US Representative candidate for the 47th District, was convicted of voter intimidation. He lost the election and was sentenced to one year in prison and six months in a halfway house. (2006)[605] Adam Taff (R-KS) 3rd US Congressional District candidate, was indicted for converting funds given for his campaign and used them for his personal use and for wire fraud in a deal to buy a home. He was found guilty and sentenced to 15 months in prison. (2006)[606][607][608][609] William J. Jefferson (D-LA) US Representative had $90,000 in cash in his home freezer seized by the FBI in August 2005. He was re-elected anyway, but lost in 2008. Jefferson was convicted of 11 counts of bribery and sentenced to 13 years on November 13, 2009, and his chief of staff Brett Pfeffer was sentenced to 84 months in a related case.[610][611] Bill Janklow (R-SD) was convicted of second-degree manslaughter for running a stop sign and killing a motorcyclist. He resigned from the House and was given 100 days in the county jail and three years' probation (2003)[612] Jim Traficant (D-OH) was found guilty on ten felony counts of financial corruption and was sentenced to 8 years in prison and expelled from the House. (2002)[613] John E. Sweeney (R-NY) US Representative from 20th US District, was arrested in 2007 and again in 2009 for DWI. He was sentenced to 23 days in jail with 3 years' probation. (2009)[614][615] Vito Fossella (R-NY) US Representative, 13th District, was arrested for drunk driving. He was found guilty of driving with twice the legal limit and sentenced to 5 days in prison. This led to the revelation that the married congressman had a longtime affair with another woman which had produced a child. He did not run for re-election. (2008)[616][617] Interestingly, not only Biden was Vice President under Obama for eight years, but the Bush family is endorsing Biden. The apple does not fall far from the tree, does it? Trump is a political outsider who was elected to change the status quo in the US Capitol by his supporters. No wonder Swampters Biden and Bush are teaming up. Have you considered the damage a Bush could do if or when Biden grants one of them a cabinet position? We have already seen the media, the Democrat party, and a select group of presumably compromised Republicans attack, instead of cooperate, with Trump, our duly elected President from day one. So the question I put to you: Do want to put the swamp back at the helm or let imperfect Trump continue with much needed investigations?
Continued from above, also from wikipedia.org: Barack Obama administrations (2009–2017)Edit Executive branchEdit Katherine Archuleta, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, resigned on July 10, 2015, after taking responsibility for cyber intrusions into her department that allowed the theft of data concerning 22 million people.[618] Secretary of Veterans Affairs General Eric Shinseki, resigned after Veterans Administration officials in the Phoenix, AZ, hospital lied about the length of wait times for veterans to see a doctor. See Veterans Health Administration scandal of 2014.[619][620][621][622] IRS targeting controversy: Steven T. Miller, Acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, resigned after the IRS admitted to investigating conservative political groups associated with the Tea Party to see if they actually met the criteria for the tax exemptions they were claiming.[623] Later, it was found that the IRS also investigated progressive groups as well, and there has been no intentional wrongdoing discovered in the investigations.[624][625][626][627][628] Other actions arising from the controversy included: Lois Lerner, head of the IRS Office of Exempt Organizations, stated she had not done anything wrong and then took the Fifth before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.[629] She retired in 2013 after an internal IRS investigation found that she had neglected her duties and was going to call for her ouster.[630] Joseph H. Grant, Commissioner of the IRS Tax-exempt and Government Entities division, resigned on May 16, 2013.[631] ATF gunwalking scandal – Attorney General Eric Holder (D) was held in Contempt of Congress after refusing to release all documents which the House of Representatives had demanded concerning the Fast and Furious gun walking operation. He did not resign and no charges were brought. (2012)[632] Terence Flynn (R) an appointee of Barack Obama to the National Labor Relations Board, resigned in May 2012, after being accused of ethical violations by leaking Board information to the National Association of Manufacturers.[633] Martha N. Johnson (D) head of the General Services Administration, fired two top GSA officials and then resigned herself after it was revealed that $822,000 had been spent in Las Vegas on a four-day training conference for 300 GSA employees. (2010)[634][635][636][637] David Petraeus resigned as Director of the CIA on November 9, 2012, having pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of mishandling classified materials, after admitting to giving them to his biographer with whom he was having a sexual relationship. He was given two years' probation and fined $100,000. See Petraeus scandal (2012)[638] William Mendoza, the former executive director of the White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education, was charged with attempted voyeurism in November, 2016 while using his government issued iPhone to take pictures up the skirts of several women on the D.C. Metro. He was indicted and resigned three days later. He then pled guilty and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, which were suspended. (2016)[639][640] Barvetta Singletary, a senior White House aide was charged with assault in a Washington, D.C. suburb after reportedly threatening and firing a shot into the floor of her boyfriend. She was indicted and resigned the next day. (2015)[641][642][643] Legislative branchEdit David G. Bowser (R) Chief of Staff for Paul Broun (R) U.S. Representative for Georgia's 10th Congressional District, was accused of misusing government funds by using them to pay for a political consultant to work on the election of Collins. Bowser was found guilty of obstruction, concealment and making false statements and sentenced to four months in prison and two years' supervision. (2016)[644][645][646] Chaka Fattah (D-PA) from Pennsylvania's 2nd district was found guilty to 23 charges including racketeering, money laundering and fraud.[647][648] He was sentenced to 10 years and resigned from Congress on June 23, 2016.[649][650] Joe Wilson (American politician) (R-SC) US Representative from the 2nd District, shouted “You, lie!” at President Barack Obama during a State of the Union Speech. He later apologized. (2001)[651][652] Anthony Weiner (D-NY) from New York's 9th congressional district resigned from Congress in June 2011 when the first of what would become multiple sexting scandals were made public.[653] David Wu (D-OR) US Representative for Oregon's 1st congressional district announced he would resign from Congress, four days after a report that a young woman called his office complaining of an "unwanted sexual encounter" with the congressman.[654] Chris Lee (R-NY) US Representative for New York's 26th congressional district resigned after he solicited a woman on Craigslist and emailed a shirtless photo of himself. (2011)[655] Jeffrey A. Garcia (D) Campaign Manager for Joe A. Garcia (D-FL) US Representative, (no relation) was accused of voter fraud for unlawfully submitting online absentee-ballot requests for thousands of unsuspecting voters. He pled guilty and was sentenced to 90 days in jail and 18 months of probation. (2010)[656][657][658][657] Dennis Hastert (R-IL) US Representative, pleaded guilty to charges that he violated banking rules and lied to the FBI in a scheme to pay $3.5 million in hush money to conceal sexual misconduct with an underage boy from his days as a high school wrestling coach, from 1965 to 1981. (2015)[659][660][661] Aaron Schock (R-IL) US Representative resigned from office after evidence surfaced that he used campaign funds for travel, redecorated his office with taxpayer funds to resemble the sets of the Downton Abbey TV series, and otherwise spent campaign and/or taxpayer money on other questionable personal uses. (2015)[662] Benjamin Cole (R) Senior Adviser to US Representative Aaron Schock US Representative, resigned after he allegedly condemned "hood rats" and "black miscreants" in internet posts. Schock's office stated, "I am extremely disappointed by the inexcusable and offensive online comments made by a member of my staff."[663][664][665] Matthew P. Pennell (R) Constituent Services Representative for US Representative Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) as well as GOP State Party Director was arrested on 17 counts of alleged child sex crimes. He was found guilty and sentenced to 12 months in prison. (2015)[666][667][668][669] Brett O'Donnell, Communications Director for US Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), plead guilty to lying to investigators from the House Office of Congressional Ethics about working for Rodgers while being paid with campaign money, thus becoming the first person ever to be convicted of lying to the House OCE.[670] Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) US Representative resigned his Congressional seat after four of his staff were convicted by the state of Michigan of falsifying signatures on McCotter's reelection petitions for the 2012 elections. Michigan Attorney GeneralBill Schuette (R) blamed McCotter for running a slipshod, leaderless operation. "The congressman has resigned in disgrace", Schuette said, though McCotter was not charged.[671] Paul Seewald worked for McCotter as his District Director of the Michigan's 11th congressional district. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of falsely signing a nominating petition as circulator. He was sentenced to two years' probation and 100 hours of community service, and ordered to pay court costs and fees.[672] Don Yowchuang worked for McCotter as Deputy District Director of the Michigan 11th Congressional District. He pleaded guilty to ten counts of forgery and six counts of falsely signing a nominating petition and was sentenced to three years of probation, 200 hours of community service, court costs and fees.[673] Mary M. Turnbull was McCotter's Representative to the Michigan 11th Congressional District. She was convicted of conspiring to commit a legal act in an illegal manner and falsely signing a nominating petition. She was sentenced to two years of probation, a day in jail, and 200 hours of community service. Turnbull was also ordered to pay a $1,440 fine. In addition, she is forbidden from any participation in elections or the political process.[674] Lorianne O'Brady worked as a scheduler for McCotter in the Michigan 11th Congressional District. She pleaded no contest to charges that she falsely claimed to have legally collected signatures to get McCotter on the ballot when she actually had not. She was sentenced to 20 days in jail and a work program plus $2,625 in fines and court costs.[675] David Rivera (R-FL) was indicted as a co-conspirator with Campaign Manager Ana Alliegro, who pleaded guilty to violation of US campaign laws in an $81,000 campaign-finance scheme to prop up a little-known Democratic candidate who used the illegal cash to trash Rivera's rival in the 2012 Democratic primary. Rivera was not convicted.[676][677] Ana Alliegro (R), the Campaign Manager for David Rivera (R-FL), pleaded guilty to violation of US campaign laws. She was given six months in jail and six months of house arrest plus two years of probation. (2014)[678] Rick Renzi (R-AZ) US Representative on June 12, 2013, was found guilty of 17 counts against him, which included wire fraud, conspiracy, extortion, racketeering, money laundering, and making false statements to insurance regulators.[679] Mike Crapo (R-ID) US Senator was arrested on December 23, 2012, and later pleaded guilty to drinking and driving in a Virginia court on January 4, 2012. The court fined him $250 and received a one-year suspension of his driver's license. He was also sentenced to 180 days in prison, but served no time.[680][681][682][683][684] Trey Radel (R-FL) US Representative, was arrested on October 29, 2013, in Washington, D.C. for possession of cocaine after purchasing the drug from an undercover law enforcement officer. As a first-time offender, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in a Washington, D.C. court, and was sentenced to one year of probation and fined $250. Radel took a leave of absence from office to undergo substance abuse treatment following his conviction. Following treatment, he initially returned to office with the intent of finishing his term, but eventually resigned on January 27, 2014.[685][686][687] Annette Bosworth (R-SD) candidate for the US Senate was found guilty of 6 counts of filing false documents. She was sentenced to 3 years probation, community service plus costs. (2014)[688][689][690][691] Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) US Representative pleaded guilty to one felony count of fraud for using $750,000 of campaign money to buy personal items such as stuffed animals, elk heads and fur capes.[692] Laura Richardson (D-CA) US Representative, was found guilty on seven counts of violating US House rules by improperly using her staff to campaign for her, destroying the evidence and tampering with witness testimony. The House Ethics Committee ordered Richardson to pay a fine of $10,000. (2012)[693][694] John Ensign (R-NV) US Senate, resigned his seat on May 3, 2011, just before the Senate Ethics Committee could examine possible fiscal violations in connection with his extramarital affair with Cynthia Hampton. (2011)[695][696][697][698] (see Federal sex scandals) Doug Hampton (R) aide to Ensign in what became the John Ensign scandal reached a separate plea deal with prosecutors in May 2012, the details of which have not yet been released.[699] Michael Grimm (R-NY) US Representative, pleaded guilty to tax fraud on December 23, 2014, and was sentenced to eight months in federal prison.[700] Ron Paul (R-TX) US House Representative, ran in the Republican primary for president in 2012, see Ron Paul 2012 presidential campaign. The campaign was marked by a scandal in which several of his close staff were indicted and found guilty of misusing campaign money to bribe Iowa Republican State Senator Kent Sorenson to change his endorsement from Republican Michele Bachmann to Paul. Paul denies any knowledge of the deal and was not charged. (2011)[701] The aides were: Jesse Benton (R) Campaign Chairman for Ron Paul (R-TX) concealed over $73,000 in payments to Iowa State Senator Kent Sorenson to convince him to flip his presidential endorsement from Michele Bachmann to Ron Paul. He was convicted of conspiring to cause false records. He was sentenced to 6 months' home confinement, fined $10,000 and given two years' probation. (2016)[702][703][704] John Tate (R) Campaign Manager for US Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) was indicted for concealing over $73,000 in payments to Iowa State Senator Kent Sorenson to convince him to flip his presidential endorsement from Michele Bachmann to Paul. He was convicted of conspiracy. He was sentenced to 6 months' home confinement, 2 years' probation and fined $10,000 in 2016.[705][706] Dimitri Kesari Deputy Campaign Manager for US Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) was convicted of causing false records concerning charges of buying an Iowa State Senator's endorsement during the 2012 presidential campaign. He was sentenced to three months in jail. (2012)[707][708] Fred Pagan (R) Office Administrator to US Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) pled guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 30 months in prison. (2016)[709][710] Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) U.S. Representative, while running for re-election on a pro-life platform, it was discovered that he had made his wife have two abortions, and tried to persuade his mistress (who was also his patient), to have one as well. He also admitted under oath that while a married physician at Grandview Medical Center in Jasper, Tennessee, he had six affairs with three co-workers, two patients and a drug representative. He was investigated by the Tennessee Board of Health, pleaded guilty and was fined. (2012)[711][712] Robert Decheine (D) CoS to U.S. Representative Steve Rothman (D-NJ), was sentenced to 18 months in prison for soliciting sex from a minor. (2011)[713][714] Adam Kuhn (R) Chief of Staff to Steve Stivers (R-OH) U.S. Representative, resigned abruptly after a porn actress posted an explicit photo of his penis online. (2014)[715][716][717] Adam Kuhn (R) CoS to U.S. Representative Steve Stivers (R-OH), resigned abruptly after a former porn actress posted an explicit photo of his penis online. (2014)[718] David Wihby (R) top aide to US Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) resigned after he was arrested in a prostitution sting in Nashua. (2015)[719][720][721] Corrine Brown (D-FL) US Representative, was found guilty of fraud for using $800K from a fake charity for her own personal use. She was sentenced to 5 years. (2018)[722][723][724] Ronnie Simmons (D) CoS to U.S. Representative Corrine Brown (D-FL) pled guilty to fraud. (2017)[725][726] Judicial branchEdit Mark E. Fuller (R) US Judge of the Middle District of Alabama, appointed by Republican George W. Bush was found guilty of domestic violence, sentenced to domestic training and forced to resign. (2015)[727][728][729] G. Thomas Porteous US Judge of Eastern Louisiana appointed by Democrat Bill Clinton, was unanimously impeached by the US House of Representatives on charges of bribery and perjury in March 2010. He was convicted by the US Senate and removed from office. (2010)[730][731] Samuel B. Kent (R) US Judge Federal District in Galveston, Texas was sentenced to 33 months in prison for lying about sexually harassing two female employees. He had been appointed to office by President George H. W. Bush in 1990. Resigned after being impeached on June 10, 2009.[732][733][734] Jack T. Camp (R) Senior Federal U.S. Judge for the Northern District of Georgia, who was appointed by Republican George W. Bush, was arrested while trying to purchase cocaine from an FBI agent. Pled guilty to three criminal charges and was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 400 hours' community service and fined.[735][736][737][738][739] Richard F. Cebull (R) Federal Judge for the District of Montana, was found to have sent hundreds of racist and sexist emails. After an investigation led to calls for his impeachment, Cebull took senior status and then resigned. (2013)[740][741][742][743][744] Remember, I have not included a list of self serving legislation or the list of Presidential pardons, which according to one source, numbered over a thousand under the Obama Administration, but probably included non politicians as well. I may get the notion to research and post this other information another time.
Please cite sources that support your claim of "rampant Federal corruption as shown in political leadership," prior to Trump taking office; and your claim that this is how Trump defined the label, "the swamp." Later, I'll research the level of Federal corruption revealed during Trump's administration, and compare it to the level during Obama's administration.
Seeing no response here yet; and also while seeing you make posts elsewhere in the forum, I'm forced to conclude you suddenly have "NO COMMENT" to the above. I'm considering this post to be a 'bump;' in case you've forgotten this thread, or for some other reason, but I'll move on to the next topic after a short while, if you still haven't replied. (Note my earlier post acknowledging your conclusion wanting to no longer continue this discussion ... because of [your?] long-windedness?, I believe.)