Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Was Ronald Reagan's administration the most corrupt in history?

Don't get me wrong, i used to love Ronald Reagan when i was little.
i thought he was awesome.
He is still one of the top presidents of the United states in my mind.
However, some people in his administration were among the shadiest people in politics.
138 administration officials were either indicted, convicted or investigated, that is the largest number of any U.S. president.

The Iran Contra Affair came to light in November 1986. when Ronald Reagan conceded that the United States had sold weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
It was part of a largely successful effort to secure the release of six U.S. citizens being held hostage in Lebanon.
Some of the money from the arms deal had been covertly and illegally funneled into a fund to aid the right wing Contras counter revolutionary groups seeking to overthrow the socialist Sandinista government of Nicaragua.
Out of the 14 people indicted, 7 were pardoned.
The investigations were halted when President George H. W. Bush pardoned the secretary of defense Casper Weinberger before his trial.
George was previously Reagan's vice president.
George also pardoned Elliot Abrams, Robbert C. Mc Farlane, Alan D. Fiers, Clair George and Duane R Clarridge.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development grant rigging.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary Samuel Pierce and his associates rigged low income housing bids to favor Republican contributors to Reagan's campaign.
They also rewarded lobbyists such as James G. Watt secretary of the interior.
16 convictions were handed down.
One of them, Phillip D. Winn, was pardoned by president Bill Clinton.

EPA scandals
Over twenty high level EPA employees were removed from office and several agency officials resigned.
There were a wide range of charges, ranging from being unduly influenced by industry groups to rewarding or punishing employees based on their political beliefs.
Sewergates was and EPA scandal that involved the targeted release of Superfund grants to enhance the election prospects of local officials aligned with the Republican Party.

Saving & Loan crisis
747 institutions failed and had to be rescued with $160 billion in taxpayer dollars.
Ronald Reagan eliminated loopholes in the tax code which led to bankrupting 747 Savings and Loans, many whom were operating more or less as banks, thus requiring the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to cover the debts and losses with tax payer money.

Operation Ill Wind
A three year in launched in 1986 by the FBI into the United States government officials and private defense contractors.
42 government officials, 7 military contractors as well as executives at GE, Boeing and the United States Technologies were convicted of various crimes.

Wedtech Scandal
Wedtech Corporation convicted of bribery for Defense Department contracts.

Debategate
Was a political scandal that took place in the final days of the 1980 presidential election. Reagan's team had somehow acquired President Jimmy Carter's top secret briefing papers that Carter used in the preparation for the October 28, 1980, debate with Reagan.

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