A couple of weeks ago, Rep. Tom DeLay - the former Republican House Majority Leader and most powerful man in Congress - was forced to resign in disgrace as a cloud of scandal and corruption engulfed his reelection bid. DeLay is currently under indictment for conspiracy and money laundering while also being investigated for his connections to former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who recently pled guilty to conspiracy, mail fraud and tax evasion.
DeLay has been the poster child for Democratic efforts to expose the Republican Congress for fostering a "culture of corruption." He is one of many members of Congress who helped Republicans take power of the House in 1994 by speaking out against the excesses of Democratic rule. But in the past 12 years, many of those individuals have neglected the very principles that brought them to power and have become more corrupt than those they replaced. For one thing, all the House Republicans first elected in 1994 and running for reelection in 2006 signed the GOP's Contract with America, meaning they have all decided to break their pledge of a self-imposed six-term limit.
It's not just petty promises on which Republicans are lapsing - many have committed criminal acts or are currently under investigation. Rep. Duke Cunningham admitted to taking $2.4 million in bribes, even going as far as having a "bribe menu," itemizing how big a kickback would be required for specific actions.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is under investigation by the SEC for insider trading after he dumped his stock in a health care company just days before the price plummeted. Frist's brother happens to sit on the company's board of directors.
And that Republican corruption problem extends beyond Washington. Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan was convicted on 18 counts dealing with steering state business to cronies for bribes, gutting corruption-fighting efforts and misusing state resources for political gain. Ohio Gov. Bob Taft is facing six counts of failing to disclose favors and gifts. Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher used the power of his office to pardon nine members of his administration. They were indicted for supposed illegal hiring. And the list goes on.
It is not just criminal corruption that has plagued the Republicans. They have taken the age-old practice of patronage to new heights by appointing dangerously unqualified individuals to positions of power based on political or personal relationships. The best of example is former FEMA chief Mike Brown, who botched the Hurricane Katrina response. Brown, a former judges and stewards commissioner for the International Arabian Horse Association, received his cushy job because he was the college roommate of Bush's campaign manager. Think about that the next time your roommate gets on your nerves - there might be a future for you in the Department of Homeland Security.
But Brown isn't the only example. There are several other cronies placed in vital government positions. My favorite is Phillip Perry, general counsel of the Department of Homeland Security. He just happens to be Vice President Dick Cheney's son-in-law.
I'm not so naive to suggest that patronage be eliminated. I remember Paul Begala once admitted on CNN to being a political hack. He said there is nothing wrong with patronage - but that's why God created the Department of Commerce, not FEMA.
I'm also not so naive that I think Democrats never commit crimes or use their power in a corrupt fashion. However, I firmly believe we are seeing an epidemic of Republican corruption at this time.
The old clich+â-¬ says, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." After years of complete Republican control, I think there is only one way to cleanse the government and stop this "culture of corruption."
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