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INSIDE CONGRESS: The Shocking Scandals, Corruption, and Abuse of Power Behind the Scenes on Capitol Hill
Uses interviews with insiders to reveal the inner workings of the Congress and the behavior of congressional members
300 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1997
144 people want to read
About the author
Ronald Kessler
33 books109 followersRonald Kessler is the New York Times bestselling author of 21 non-fiction books about the Trump White House, Secret Service, FBI, and CIA.
Kessler began his career as a journalist in 1964 on the Worcester Telegram, followed by three years as an investigative reporter and editorial writer with the Boston Herald. In 1968, he joined the Wall Street Journal as an investigative reporter in the New York bureau. He became an investigative reporter with the Washington Post in 1970 and continued in that position until 1985.
Kessler's new book is "The Trump White House: Changing the Rules of the Game."
Kessler has won eighteen journalism awards, including two George Polk awards--for national reporting and for community service. Kessler has also won the American Political Science Association's Public Affairs Reporting Award, the Associated Press' Sevellon Brown Memorial Award, and Washingtonian magazine's Washingtonian of the Year award. Franklin Pierce University awarded him the Marlin Fitzwater Medallion for excellence as a prolific author, journalist, and communicator. He is listed in Who's Who in America.
"Ron Kessler...has enjoyed a reputation for solid reporting over the past four decades." Lloyd Grove, The Daily Beast. "Kessler's such a skilled storyteller, you almost forget this is dead-serious nonfiction..." Newsweek. "[Ronald Kessler] is the man who broke the story about the [Secret Service prostitution] episode in Cartagena...." New York Times. "His [Kessler's] book quotes both flattering and unflattering observations about presidents of both parties." FactCheck.org. "[Ronald Kessler] is one of the nation's top investigative journalists." Fox & Friends. "Ron Kessler appears to get everything first." Slate.
Ron Kessler lives with his wife Pamela Kessler in the Washington, D.C. area. Also an author and former Washington Post reporter, Pam Kessler wrote "Undercover Washington: Where Famous Spies Lived, Worked and Loved." His daughter Rachel Kessler, an independent public relations consultant, and son Greg Kessler, an artist, live in New York.
Kessler began his career as a journalist in 1964 on the Worcester Telegram, followed by three years as an investigative reporter and editorial writer with the Boston Herald. In 1968, he joined the Wall Street Journal as an investigative reporter in the New York bureau. He became an investigative reporter with the Washington Post in 1970 and continued in that position until 1985.
Kessler's new book is "The Trump White House: Changing the Rules of the Game."
Kessler has won eighteen journalism awards, including two George Polk awards--for national reporting and for community service. Kessler has also won the American Political Science Association's Public Affairs Reporting Award, the Associated Press' Sevellon Brown Memorial Award, and Washingtonian magazine's Washingtonian of the Year award. Franklin Pierce University awarded him the Marlin Fitzwater Medallion for excellence as a prolific author, journalist, and communicator. He is listed in Who's Who in America.
"Ron Kessler...has enjoyed a reputation for solid reporting over the past four decades." Lloyd Grove, The Daily Beast. "Kessler's such a skilled storyteller, you almost forget this is dead-serious nonfiction..." Newsweek. "[Ronald Kessler] is the man who broke the story about the [Secret Service prostitution] episode in Cartagena...." New York Times. "His [Kessler's] book quotes both flattering and unflattering observations about presidents of both parties." FactCheck.org. "[Ronald Kessler] is one of the nation's top investigative journalists." Fox & Friends. "Ron Kessler appears to get everything first." Slate.
Ron Kessler lives with his wife Pamela Kessler in the Washington, D.C. area. Also an author and former Washington Post reporter, Pam Kessler wrote "Undercover Washington: Where Famous Spies Lived, Worked and Loved." His daughter Rachel Kessler, an independent public relations consultant, and son Greg Kessler, an artist, live in New York.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 12, 2014
20 year old book. Sadly, it seems nothing has changed.
February 27, 2017
Had me shaking my head as I read it. You know there is corruption in Washington DC but it was eye opening.
November 2, 2018
Not much of a read!
June 18, 2025
“Ever wondered what Congress is like behind those polished podiums and patriotic speeches? Spoiler: It’s wilder than reality TV, and twice as corrupt.”
Ronald Kessler’s Inside Congress is not just another political book—it’s a journalistic battering ram. With 350+ interviews, dozens of first-hand accounts, and a tone that’s as fearless as it is unforgiving, Kessler delivers a book that feels like someone snuck a tape recorder into the darkest corners of Capitol Hill.
This isn't about political ideology—it's about power. Raw, unregulated, undignified power.
You’ll read about lawmakers using taxpayer dollars for $20,000 chairs and custom bar fridges. You'll learn about “Virgin Village,” where teenage pages lived. There’s sex in Senate attics, orgies in parking lots, and a lobbyist who literally slept with eight Congressmen to push farm bills. Kessler isn’t kidding when he says this is the stuff your reps don’t want you to know.
But beyond the sensationalism is a deeply unsettling question: Is this just how power works? And if it is, have we normalised it?
Kessler lays it bare and leaves the moral judgment to us. He doesn’t want to change your vote; he wants to ruin your illusions.
This book is for anyone who’s ever voted and wondered, “What the hell happens after I hit submit?”
📌 For the full breakdown (including comparisons to Hitler’s thoughts on democracy, critiques of the book's weaknesses, and a curated reading list on genocide and power abuse), head over to
https://www.tusharmangl.com/2025/06/i...
Ronald Kessler’s Inside Congress is not just another political book—it’s a journalistic battering ram. With 350+ interviews, dozens of first-hand accounts, and a tone that’s as fearless as it is unforgiving, Kessler delivers a book that feels like someone snuck a tape recorder into the darkest corners of Capitol Hill.
This isn't about political ideology—it's about power. Raw, unregulated, undignified power.
You’ll read about lawmakers using taxpayer dollars for $20,000 chairs and custom bar fridges. You'll learn about “Virgin Village,” where teenage pages lived. There’s sex in Senate attics, orgies in parking lots, and a lobbyist who literally slept with eight Congressmen to push farm bills. Kessler isn’t kidding when he says this is the stuff your reps don’t want you to know.
But beyond the sensationalism is a deeply unsettling question: Is this just how power works? And if it is, have we normalised it?
Kessler lays it bare and leaves the moral judgment to us. He doesn’t want to change your vote; he wants to ruin your illusions.
This book is for anyone who’s ever voted and wondered, “What the hell happens after I hit submit?”
📌 For the full breakdown (including comparisons to Hitler’s thoughts on democracy, critiques of the book's weaknesses, and a curated reading list on genocide and power abuse), head over to
https://www.tusharmangl.com/2025/06/i...
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews