Deck 10: Corruption of Public Officials

Question 1

Soft money is:

A)untraceable.
B)unrestricted.
C)undocumented.
D)restricted.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following activities would not constitute payroll fraud?

A)Hillary Rodham Clinton hired to advise a congressional committee
B)Elected official household staff put on congressional payroll
C)Staff required to pay portion of salary to elected official
D)Surplus pay raise for congressional staff used to pay for personal expenses

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Prosecutions of corrupt federal legislators have been divided into three categories. They include all of the following except:

A)violations of election laws.
B)payroll fraud.
C)bribery.
D)theft.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The ABSCAM operation was criticized because:

A)the amount of money involved was miniscule.
B)it was not targeted at wrongdoing that was already occurring.
C)a lot of money was spent but there were no convictions for serious felonies.
D)the criminal informant was left holding the bag by the government, literally.

Question 5

Which of the following would be representative of "little corruption"?

A)Trivial, less costly deviance
B)Bribery or corruption by individuals
C)Corruption with no national implications
D)Organizational deviance

Question 6

The eight-year, four-month sentence given to arch-conservative Duke Cunningham was ironic because:

A)he had argued for lighter sentences for particular offenses.
B)only James Traficant's sentence was longer.
C)he had sponsored legislation to improve prison conditions.
D)he had argued for tougher sentences.

Question 7

A gift becomes a bribe when:

A)it is requested.
B)there is a quid pro quo.
C)the amount exceeds the salary of the elected official.
D)it is freely given.

Question 8

PAC stands for:

A)politicians and contributions.
B)polls and campaigns.
C)politics and change.
D)political action committee.

Question 9

After numerous tries, the government finally convicted Governor Edwin Edwards of Louisiana based on testimony from:

A)the owner of a professional football team.
B)his right-hand man.
C)a flunky who worked for Edwards.
D)his banker.

Question 10

In Washington, D.C., what now rivals or exceeds power as the preeminent goal?

A)Political aspirations
B)Fame
C)Money
D)Political connections

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of public corruption?

A)Sexual relations with an intern in the Oval Office
B)Unskilled relative hired as a policy analyst
C)Use of a prostitute
D)Drug use

Question 12

Paisley and others committed all of the following except:

A)having a financial interest in a subcontractor selected by the Navy.
B)giving bid information to favored vendors.
C)arguing for more lenient treatment of government contractors who tried to cheat the government.
D)altering requirements to suit favored vendors.

Question 13

Representative Daniel Flood of Pennsylvania flooded his home district with federal funds and numerous public institutions carried his name. He took money from businessmen to do all of the following except:

A)to contribute campaign funds to a personal charity.
B)to persuade the Treasury Department to approve a merger.
C)to enable a religious school to get millions in federal grants.
D)to direct government family planning funds.

Question 14

Melvyn Paisley was an Assistant Secretary of the Navy for six years and was in charge of:

A)investigators.
B)vendor services.
C)product research.
D)procurement.

Question 15

Giving money to an elected official is bribery when:

A)it is done in hopes that the elected official will make an inquiry to an IRS audit.
B)the contributor plans to present information on a bill to the legislator.
C)it is done in return for vote on a piece of legislation.
D)it is given hopes of getting an audience with elected official.

Question 16

Governor Fife Symington, before he was indicted for defrauding creditors in connection with a savings and loan, was the chief executive for what state?

A)Arizona
B)Colorado
C)Pennsylvania
D)Texas

Question 17

Inspectors in the Department of Agriculture have done all of the following except:

A)allowed adulterated food into the country.
B)failed to condemn beef infected with
C)ignored a shipment infested with insects.
D)misgraded grain.
E)Coli bacteria.

Question 18

An unnamed congressman, after receiving a $10,000 check from an organization, did what?

A)Voted for a regulation requiring disclosure of defects in automobiles
B)Voted against a regulation requiring disclosure of defects in automobiles
C)Voted the wishes of his constituency, the people from his district
D)Made his decision based on party affiliation

Question 19

"Little corruption" in the highest level of federal executive office has been:

A)rare.
B)occurring at regular intervals.
C)persistent.
D)nonexistent.

Question 20

Federal District Judge Alcee Hastings was impeached and removed from office after:

A)he denounced a Washington lawyer for accepting a bribe.
B)he was acquitted of conspiracy to commit bribery.
C)he was convicted of conspiracy to commit bribery.
D)he was investigated for bribery but never indicted.

Question 21

Giving money to an elected official is bribery when in return you receive a favorable vote on a piece of legislation.

Question 22

Melvyn Paisley was an Assistant Secretary of the Navy who was in charge of procurement.

Question 23

Working in close proximity to illegal activities and an abundance of illicit profits represents which explanation of police misconduct?

A)Structural opportunity
B)Organization deviance
C)Lack of organizational controls
D)Structural choice

Question 24

"Little corruption" in the highest level of federal executive office has been persistent.

Question 25

Which one of the following could be a part of a shakedown?

A)Arresting a business rival
B)Planting evidence
C)Money for not making an arrest
D)A lying eyewitness

Question 26

A former police officer once observed that police officers are the greatest ____________ in the world.

A)moochers
B)deadbeats
C)thieves
D)criminals

Question 27

Governor Fife Symington was the chief executive of the state of Texas, before he was indicted for defrauding creditors.

Question 28

Which one of the following would be part of a kickback scheme?

A)Turning in all but $2,000 from money confiscated at drug seller's house
B)Putting a relative on the payroll
C)Taking money from police retirement funds
D)Taking money from arranging contracts with the city

Question 29

All of the following lead to an "us versus them" mentality on the part of officers except:

A)their risk-taking personality.
B)the large amount of time officers spend with civilian public.
C)the isolation of officers.
D)their feeling invulnerable.

Question 30

Which of the following would not be an example of police corruption?

A)Kickbacks
B)Embezzlement
C)Bribery
D)Theft from a police supervisor's bank account

Question 31

Which of the following would be associated with meat-eaters?

A)Aggressive corruption
B)Graft
C)Looking the other way
D)Trying to help

Question 32

The ABSCAM operation was criticized because the amount of money involved was miniscule.

Question 33

Periodic corruption scandals have plagued ____________ major urban police department(s) in the United States.

A)few of the
B)every
C)some of the
D)half of the

Question 34

William Jennings Bryan was a famous orator who threatened to withdraw his legislative services if the bank did not refresh his retainer.

Question 35

More often than not, running afoul of the Internal Revenue Service puts elected officials on the fast track for prosecution.

Question 36

The worst scandal in a scandal-ridden city occurred in the ____________ of New York City.

A)Parking Violation Bureau
B)Housing Authority
C)Taxi and Limousine Commission
D)Health and Hospitals Corporation

Question 37

Hiring an unskilled relative as a policy analyst would be an example of public corruption.

Question 38

Gulf Oil Corporation maintained a multimillion dollar secret fund used to make illegal campaign contributions. It appeared the Gulf though the United States Senate was for sale.

Question 39

Which of the following would be associated with grass-eaters?

A)Trying to help
B)Graft
C)Looking the other way
D)Aggressive corruption

Question 40

Corruption has been attributed to under-representation of the disadvantaged.

Question 41

Periodic corruption scandals have plagued ____________ major urban police department in the United States.

Question 42

Identify the types of police corruption and give an example of each.

Question 43

Bribery or ____________ by individuals are examples of "little corruption."

Question 44

A former police officer once observed that police officers are the greatest ____________ in the world.

Question 45

Attempts to legislate morality have made it easier for officers to rationalize bribery and wrongdoing in connection with ____________ crimes.

Question 46

What cities besides New York have had ongoing problems with corruption? Do you think it is more difficult to be an ethical officer in a big city than in a small- to medium-size community? Why or why not?

Question 47

Taking money from arranging contract with the city would be an example of a kickback scheme.

Question 48

Operation Greylord, which targeted judicial wrongdoing, took place in ____________.

Question 49

Congressional incumbents and electoral challengers have come to rely increasingly on ____________ interests to run for office.

Question 50

Soft money is ____________.

Question 51

Graft cases have been prosecuted in ____________ major American cities.

Question 52

What are possible explanations for police corruption?

Question 53

One lobbyist described PAC money as a civilized approach to ____________ buying.

Question 54

Aggressive corruption would be associated with grass-eaters.

Question 55

In Washington, D.C., ____________ now rivals or exceeds power as the preeminent goal.

Question 56

Working in close proximity to illegal activities and an abundance of illicit profits represents a structural opportunity explanation of police misconduct.

Question 57

What is the difference between corrupt behavior and illegal acts? Provide examples of each.

Question 58

Identify the three methods used by federal legislators to cheat the public. Provide examples.

Question 59

Money for not making an arrest could be part of a shakedown.

Question 60

Explain why individuals are motivated to engage in corrupt behavior. How do they justify their actions?