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Scoundrels: Political Scandals in American History
"American history buffs will savor this detailed yet accessible roundup of political imbroglios." —Publishers Weekly Political scandals have become an indelible feature of the American political system since the creation of the republic more than two centuries ago. In his previous book, American Political Sex Scandals from Alexander Hamilton to Donald Trump, Michael Martinez explored why public figures sometimes take extraordinary risks, sullying their good names, humiliating their families, placing themselves in legal jeopardy, and potentially destroying their political careers as they seek to gratify their sexual desires. In Scoundrels, Martinez examines thirteen of the most famous (or infamous) and not-so-famous political scandals of other sorts in American history, including the Teapot Dome case from the 1920s, the Watergate break-in and cover-up in the 1970s, the Iran-Contra affair of the 1980s, and Russian interference in the 2016 elections. Combining riveting storytelling with insights into 200 years of American political corruption, Martinez has once again written a book that will enlighten all readers interested in human nature and political history.
252 pages, Hardcover
Published June 15, 2023
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About the author
J. Michael Martinez
20 books3 followersThere is more than one author with this name
J. Michael Martinez began his career in the private practice of law. He later earned a Ph.D. in political science and a second Ph.D. in public administration. Martinez’s scholarly work has appeared in numerous academic publications, including Administration & Society; The American Review of Public Administration; The Georgia Historical Quarterly; The Journal of Environment & Development; The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy; The Journal of Policy History; Nonprofit Management & Leadership; Politics & Policy; and The South Dakota Law Review, among others. He also has co-edited and contributed chapters to three academic texts: Ethics and Character: The Pursuit of Democratic Virtues (Carolina Academic Press, 1998); Confederate Symbols in the Contemporary South (University Press of Florida, 2000); and The Leviathan’s Choice: Capital Punishment in the Twenty-first Century (Rowman & Littlefield, 2002). He has written three books on Southern history: Life and Death in Civil War Prisons (Rutledge Hill Press, 2004), a selection of the History Book Club; Carpetbaggers, Cavalry, and the Ku Klux Klan: Exposing the Invisible Empire During Reconstruction ( Rowman & Littlefield, 2007); and Coming for to Carry Me Home: Race in America from Abolitionism to Jim Crow (Rowman & Littlefield, 2012). His other books include Administrative Ethics in the Twenty-first Century (with William D. Richardson; Peter Lang Publishers, 2008), Public Administration Ethics for the Twenty-first Century (Praeger, 2009), and Terrorist Attacks on American Soil: From the Civil War Era to the Present (Rowman & Littlefield, 2012).
Since 1992, Martinez has worked in the Government Affairs & Environment Department at Dart Container Corporation, a leading manufacturer of disposable foodservice products. During the 1990s, he taught political science at Georgia State University and environmental law at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. He now teaches political science, criminal justice, and public administration courses as a part-time faculty member at Kennesaw State University, the University of South Dakota, and the University of Georgia, respectively. From 1988 until 1992, he was on the staff of the Southern States Energy Board, a non-profit interstate compact organization that researches energy and environmental laws and regulations.
J. Michael Martinez began his career in the private practice of law. He later earned a Ph.D. in political science and a second Ph.D. in public administration. Martinez’s scholarly work has appeared in numerous academic publications, including Administration & Society; The American Review of Public Administration; The Georgia Historical Quarterly; The Journal of Environment & Development; The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy; The Journal of Policy History; Nonprofit Management & Leadership; Politics & Policy; and The South Dakota Law Review, among others. He also has co-edited and contributed chapters to three academic texts: Ethics and Character: The Pursuit of Democratic Virtues (Carolina Academic Press, 1998); Confederate Symbols in the Contemporary South (University Press of Florida, 2000); and The Leviathan’s Choice: Capital Punishment in the Twenty-first Century (Rowman & Littlefield, 2002). He has written three books on Southern history: Life and Death in Civil War Prisons (Rutledge Hill Press, 2004), a selection of the History Book Club; Carpetbaggers, Cavalry, and the Ku Klux Klan: Exposing the Invisible Empire During Reconstruction ( Rowman & Littlefield, 2007); and Coming for to Carry Me Home: Race in America from Abolitionism to Jim Crow (Rowman & Littlefield, 2012). His other books include Administrative Ethics in the Twenty-first Century (with William D. Richardson; Peter Lang Publishers, 2008), Public Administration Ethics for the Twenty-first Century (Praeger, 2009), and Terrorist Attacks on American Soil: From the Civil War Era to the Present (Rowman & Littlefield, 2012).
Since 1992, Martinez has worked in the Government Affairs & Environment Department at Dart Container Corporation, a leading manufacturer of disposable foodservice products. During the 1990s, he taught political science at Georgia State University and environmental law at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. He now teaches political science, criminal justice, and public administration courses as a part-time faculty member at Kennesaw State University, the University of South Dakota, and the University of Georgia, respectively. From 1988 until 1992, he was on the staff of the Southern States Energy Board, a non-profit interstate compact organization that researches energy and environmental laws and regulations.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 7, 2023
A greatest (or worst) hits of American political scandals. Each chapter tackles a separate event in clear and concise manner providing sufficient context for a good understanding. I might have liked additional analysis, but it is a quick read providing a good overview of the ways individuals have tried to subvert our country. The afterword reminds us that we must be eternally vigilant which is an excellent conclusion to the volume.
May 21, 2023
My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Rowman & Littlefield for this history on political scandals featuring politicians on the take, taking what ever they can, and how little has changed in this county from the beginning to the last election.
Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac as one elder statesman who has quite a few scandals attached to him once said. Power is also where the money is, and many of those elected for the public good seem to have no problems enriching themselves. Insider trading, stock trades, political action groups and more are legal ways to make money, and looking at many of the freshman congresspersons, business that way seems good. However for many this is not enough. The lure is too strong, the money too easy, and their inner conscience gets fainter and fainter as the money gets larger and larger. Scoundrels: Political Scandals in American History by J. Michael Martinez is a look at some of the biggest scandals in American history, the effect it had on the times, and what was changed, and sadly, how it continues to happen.
The book begins with a very good introduction to graft, grifters, how Americans side with the scandalous, and how so many of these people continued on in life and government with few if any repercussions. The first scandal featured took place soon after the United States started to come together, in a land speculation scheme to enrich a certain group, and as usual cheat the electorate out of money. What amazed me most about this was the large amounts of money that were being thrown around. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in a time when wages were so low. There seemed to be a whole lot of people able to speculate. The book then goes chronologically through American history, touching on the Grant administration, Tea Pot Dome, Watergate, Agnew and more, 13 different episodes of politicians being politicians. Also there is a chapter on the 2016 election, which I am sure there will be more of, but this chapter serves as a good introduction that can be shared with the more cultish of one's family.
A very informative tome that is well-written and well-researched. I was familiar with a lot of these scandals. but Martinez was able to not only cover their effects on history, but point out the politics of the time and how the scandals were influenced and also changed much in the political scene. What did strike me most is both the lack of will to investigate political scandals, and the lack of punishment for many of these men. A certain maverick Senator later ran for president, but that was the only punishment he seemed to get for his actions in the Savings and Loan Scam. I'm not sure if it is a hard time proving crime, lack of political will, or just ehh politicans will be politicans. Power doesn't seem to mess with power. A very timely look at a system that seems to be getting worse.
One doesn't think how bad these people are after reading this, more how many more are getting away with things. Party doesn't seem to matter, as long as the check clears. Light treason, real treason, destroying incomes, lives, no one seems to be serving the public good anymore, just taking money from anyone who is willing to pay. A very good read, something that many people should be talking about. Recommended for parents to give to their children who will be turning 18 and voting. And for those who care about what is happening in the world.
Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac as one elder statesman who has quite a few scandals attached to him once said. Power is also where the money is, and many of those elected for the public good seem to have no problems enriching themselves. Insider trading, stock trades, political action groups and more are legal ways to make money, and looking at many of the freshman congresspersons, business that way seems good. However for many this is not enough. The lure is too strong, the money too easy, and their inner conscience gets fainter and fainter as the money gets larger and larger. Scoundrels: Political Scandals in American History by J. Michael Martinez is a look at some of the biggest scandals in American history, the effect it had on the times, and what was changed, and sadly, how it continues to happen.
The book begins with a very good introduction to graft, grifters, how Americans side with the scandalous, and how so many of these people continued on in life and government with few if any repercussions. The first scandal featured took place soon after the United States started to come together, in a land speculation scheme to enrich a certain group, and as usual cheat the electorate out of money. What amazed me most about this was the large amounts of money that were being thrown around. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in a time when wages were so low. There seemed to be a whole lot of people able to speculate. The book then goes chronologically through American history, touching on the Grant administration, Tea Pot Dome, Watergate, Agnew and more, 13 different episodes of politicians being politicians. Also there is a chapter on the 2016 election, which I am sure there will be more of, but this chapter serves as a good introduction that can be shared with the more cultish of one's family.
A very informative tome that is well-written and well-researched. I was familiar with a lot of these scandals. but Martinez was able to not only cover their effects on history, but point out the politics of the time and how the scandals were influenced and also changed much in the political scene. What did strike me most is both the lack of will to investigate political scandals, and the lack of punishment for many of these men. A certain maverick Senator later ran for president, but that was the only punishment he seemed to get for his actions in the Savings and Loan Scam. I'm not sure if it is a hard time proving crime, lack of political will, or just ehh politicans will be politicans. Power doesn't seem to mess with power. A very timely look at a system that seems to be getting worse.
One doesn't think how bad these people are after reading this, more how many more are getting away with things. Party doesn't seem to matter, as long as the check clears. Light treason, real treason, destroying incomes, lives, no one seems to be serving the public good anymore, just taking money from anyone who is willing to pay. A very good read, something that many people should be talking about. Recommended for parents to give to their children who will be turning 18 and voting. And for those who care about what is happening in the world.
April 15, 2023
Scoundrels does a great job of giving overviews of various scandals in American history. Some are well-known, like Watergate, but then there are ones like Credit Mobilier that tend to get less attention. What works so well is that these complicated events are made easily understandable in a way that does not short change the reader nor the actual intricacies of the stories. Sometimes, it's easier with larger conspiracies just to gloss over and reduce them down to one liners "Nixon lied about a break in" so much so that they are inaccurate. This book would help anyone clear up the inaccuracies.
I strongly suggest the chapter on the Savings and Loans scandal. This event, in my opinion, is so crucial to understanding the late 1980s and the real side of the 80s economic boom. However, it gets lost in the narratives of Reagan and the end of the Cold War. Not paying attention to this shortchanges one's understanding of recent American history. Furthermore, I think some lessons can be learned comparing it to the 2008 crisis.
The Abscam chapter is also well-documented and explained. Readers may know the story from American Hustle, but I think Martinez provides great context and historical documentation to the event.
This book provides some important descriptions to several scandals that, perhaps exempting Watergate, may not have their own place in historiography. This book will helps readers to think holistically about the impact, causes, and long-term consequences of scandals and those who become involved in them
I strongly suggest the chapter on the Savings and Loans scandal. This event, in my opinion, is so crucial to understanding the late 1980s and the real side of the 80s economic boom. However, it gets lost in the narratives of Reagan and the end of the Cold War. Not paying attention to this shortchanges one's understanding of recent American history. Furthermore, I think some lessons can be learned comparing it to the 2008 crisis.
The Abscam chapter is also well-documented and explained. Readers may know the story from American Hustle, but I think Martinez provides great context and historical documentation to the event.
This book provides some important descriptions to several scandals that, perhaps exempting Watergate, may not have their own place in historiography. This book will helps readers to think holistically about the impact, causes, and long-term consequences of scandals and those who become involved in them
April 30, 2023
Good book with info from previous scandals in the political arena. Very interesting and holds your interest. Some of the scandals in this book I knew about, some I did not. Thoroughly enjoyed this read. Thanks to Netgalley, the site and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving this book in this manner had no bearing on this review.
September 8, 2024
Enjoyed the book but didn't learn many new details or insights. Good book for someone looking for a high level overview of political scandals in the US>
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews