On a scale of one to ten, how trustworthy do you think political parties are? Would you consider them to be more or less honorable than a bank? What about an insurance company or a hedge fund?
Although financial institutions are often perceived in an unfavorable light, in some ways they are surprisingly transparent and straightforward. They routinely identify and disclose conflicts, monitor and report suspected money laundering, employ independent outside advisers, and are subject to internal audits and government inspections. Political parties? They don’t even have a regular books and records audit. Party infrastructure and information is tightly held and is not subject to public disclosure, or periodic review.
As we approach the end of another election season, it is worth a look back at some recent election cycles to examine instances in which individuals within these organizations exhibited dishonorable and, in some cases, illegal behavior. Although personal vitriol and polarization regularly dominate the daily headlines, at least one other issue has become increasingly difficult to ignore – corruption – and it has unfortunately characterized our political environment far too…
