Customer Reviews

Political Corruption in America: An Encyclopedia of Scandals, Power, and Greed

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I reviewed material relating to the Swartwout-Hoyt scandal and found it full of errors. The book says Swartwout stole $2.25 million, but the audit showed $1.25 million, and later studies have shown that it was less than $400,000. The defalcation surfaced in 1838, not 1841. The bibliography proves the 1841 error citing an 1839 Congressional study. Many other errors and omissions for the Swartwout-Hoyt entry. Such an expensive book owes it to readers to be accurate.

I reviewed material related to William Pitt Kellogg, about whom I am writing a biography. I expected the entry about WPK to be brief, but was surprised at the number of inaccuracies on which the entry relied. A few: WPK was not succeeded by his nephew William Kellogg on the Nebraska Supreme Court. William Kellogg was a distant cousin who was older than WPK. WPK saw military action, contrary to this arcticle. WPK was in fact appointed Collector of the Port of New Orleans--he signed the commission before heading to Ford's Theater that night. Technically he was impeached by the Louisiana legislature, but was acquitted the same day. The papers of the impeachment have not "disappeared"==they are available at LSU in Baton Rouge. There are other mistakes, too, but you get the idea.

Compiled by history writer Mark Grossman, Political Corruption In America: An Encyclopedia Of Scandals, Power, And Greed is an informationally impressive, very nicely organized, 466-page reference which lists more than 250 cross-referenced A-Z entries detailing famous people, court cases, and events of political scandals throughout the history of the United States from its inception down to the present day. Illustrated with black-and-white cartoons that mocked political corruption in newspapers throughout the years, Political Corruption In America is an excellent reference resource and a highly recommended acquisition for school and community library American History and Political Science collections.

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