CORRUPTION HAS BEEN “endemic” in Irish political life – that’s what we have heard since the publication of the Mahon report last week.

We can’t help but be put in mind of these guys and gals…

WIRETAPPING, SLUSH FUNDS, PAYMENT TO WATERGATE BURGLARS….

Richard Nixon – The only American president to have resigned from office, this Republican probably deserves the top spot after getting embroiled in the Watergate incident in the 1970s.

Five men were arrested for breaking and entering into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Office complex in Washington D.C. in 1972. It was later revealed that this burglary was one of many illegal activities such as improper tax audits, illegal wiretapping and a secret slush fund that Nixon was aware of . As it was almost a certainty that he would be impeached for his wrongdoings he decided to step down. Newly sworn-in President Gerald Ford gave Nixon a full and complete pardon.

(Via YouTube/Maxpowers518)

Nixon’s lack of an apology for his role in the Watergate aggrieved the nation. In the infamous David Frost interview, Richard Nixon finally conceded that he had participated in the cover up and lied to the world about it.

Yes, I let the American people down. And I’ll have to carry the burden with me for the rest of my life.

(Via YouTube/fungku11)

EXPENSES

Lord John Taylor – He was one of the most promising Tory politicians but he joined the list of UK politicians who were fiddling with their expenses. He was jailed for one year for defrauding the taxpayer of more than £11,000. If he had been an MP, he would have been automatically expelled from the Commons but as he is Lord Taylor of Warwick he is entitled to resume his seat in the Lords.

PERJURY

Jeffrey Archer – The writer and playwright was selected as the official Conservative Party candidate for London’s Mayor in October 1999 however in November that same year, he withdrew his candidacy, having been charged with perjury and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Lord Archer faced charges, arising from his successful libel action case against the Daily Star, over allegations that he slept with a prostitute. He was accused of asking his former friend Ted Francis to provide him with a false alibi for a night relating to the libel case and of producing fake diary entries to back up his story. Archer was sentenced to four years imprisonment, and was released in July 2003, having served two years. Here are some tales of his time in prison:

(Via YouTube/hudsonsociety)

EMBEZZLEMENT

Yuriy Lutsenko- An opposition politician and former interior minister was recently sentenced to four years in prison for embezzlement and charges of abuse of office. According to The Financial Times, Lutsenko denies wrongdoing and describes the charges against him as being a politically motivated attempt by the President of the Ukraine, ViktorYanukovich to sideline his rivals.  Lutsenko was found guilty over the misuse of about $100,000 and for allegedly awarding favours to subordinates while he served as interior minister from 2007 to 2009.

STAFF MISUSE

Laura Richardson - This congresswoman has gotten into hot water in relation to House aides performing political and personal tasks for her. Politico.com reports that this is the second time she has come under review by the Ethics Committee.  The panel already is looking at allegations that Richardson and top aides pressured other staffers to work on her reelection campaign and that staff were forced to do personal errands for their boss in violation of House rules.

PENSION FUND FRAUD

Alan Hevesi – Former New York state controller was jailed for accepting $1million in improper benefits to approve a £250 million investment from the pension funds. Previous to being sentenced to jail he had been involved in other scandals based on his personal use of state employees to care for his ailing wife.

(Via YouTube/NYPost)

There were some close calls for these guys…

Silvio Berlusconi – The former Prime Minister of Italy recently had his corruption case against him thrown out of court. Italian prosecutors had urged that the politician receive a five year sentence but the case was thrown out with a court ruling that the statute of limitations had run out.The charges related to Berlusconi being accused of paying a British lawyer, David Mills, $600,000 to lie during two trials to protect the politician and his Fininvest holding company.

Bertie Ahern – The Mahon report fell short of calling him “corrupt” but stated that Ahern failed to truthfully account for a total of £165,214.25 that passed through bank accounts connected with him. A close call, but one that cost him the membership of Fianna Fail.