Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

General Discussion

Showing Original Post only (View all)

pbmus

(13,141 posts)
Sun Sep 3, 2017, 01:51 AM Sep 2017

NoShit... [View all]


During a civil political conversation

I made a comment recently where I claimed that Republican administrations had been much more criminally corrupt over the last 50 plus years than the Democrats. I was challenged (dared actually) to prove it. So I did a bit of research and when I say a bit I mean it didn't take long and there is no comparison.

When comparing criminal indictments of those serving in the executive branch of presidential administrations, it's so lopsided as to be ridiculous. Yet all I ever hear about is how supposedly "corrupt" the Democrats are. So why don't we break it down by president and the numbers?
Obama (D) - 8 yrs in office. Zero criminal indictments, zero convictions and zero prison sentences. So the next time somebody describes the Obama administration as "scandal free" they aren't speaking wishfully, they're simply telling the truth.

Bush, George W. (R) - 8 yrs in office. 16 criminal indictments. 16 convictions. 9 prison sentences.
Clinton (D) - 8 yrs in office. 2 criminal indictments. One conviction. One prison sentence. That's right nearly 8 yrs of investigations. Tens of millions spent and 30 yrs of claiming them the most corrupt ever and there was exactly one person convicted of a crime.

Bush, George H. W. (R) - 4 yrs in office. One indictment. One conviction. One prison sentence.
Reagan (R) - 8 yrs in office. 26 criminal indictments. 16 convictions. 8 prison sentences.
Carter (D) - 4 yrs in office. One indictment. Zero convictions and zero prison sentences.
Ford (R) - 2 yrs in office. One indictment and one conviction. One prison sentence.
Nixon (R) - 6 yrs in office. 76 criminal indictments. 55 convictions. 15 prison sentences.
Johnson (D) - 5 yrs in office. Zero indictments. Zero convictions. Zero prison sentences.

So, let’s see where that leaves us. In the last 53 years, Democrats have been in the Oval Office for 25 of those years, while Republicans held it for 28. In their 25 yrs in office Democrats had a total of three executive branch officials indicted with one conviction and one prison sentence. That's one whole executive branch official convicted of a crime in two and a half decades of Democrat leadership.

In the 28 yrs that Republicans have held office over the last 53 yrs they have had a total of (a drum roll would be more than appropriate), 120 criminal indictments of executive branch officials. 89 criminal convictions and 34 prison sentences handed down. That's more prison sentences than years in office since 1968 for Republicans. If you want to count articles of impeachment as indictments (they aren't really but we can count them as an action), both sides get one more. However, Clinton wasn't found guilty while Nixon resigned and was pardoned by Ford (and a pardon carries with it a legal admission of guilt on the part of the pardoned). So those only serve to make Republicans look even worse.

With everything going on with Trump and his people right now, it's a safe bet Republicans are gonna be padding their numbers a bit real soon.

So let's just go over the numbers one more time, shall we? 120 indictments for Republicans. 89 convictions, and 34 prison sentences. Those aren't "feelings" or "alternate facts." Those are simply the stats by the numbers. Republicans are, and have been for my entire lifetime, the most criminally corrupt party to hold the office of the presidency.
11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»NoShit...