2006 Republican party scandals

The 2006 Republican party scandals resulted in four resignations and three election losses for Republican politicians during the first two years of George W. Bush's second term as President and leading up to the 2006 midterm elections.

The U.S. Democratic Party unified several local and national campaigns around the slogan or meme "culture of corruption". The phrase was used to describe any political scandal, beginning with a national attempt by Gov. Howard Dean (D-Vermont) to link allegations of insider trading by Senator Bill Frist (R-Tenn) to the then-emerging Abramoff Scandal. Dean asserted that "Republicans have made their culture of corruption the norm." The phrase was thereafter repeated by other Democratic Party leaders, including Nancy Pelosi (responding to the indictment of Tom DeLay), "The criminal indictment of Majority Leader Tom DeLay is the latest example that Republicans in Congress are plagued by a culture of corruption at the expense of the American people."

U.S. Congressman Duke Cunningham — In November 2005 he resigned after pleading guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. He was sentenced to over eight years in prison and an order to pay $1.8 million in restitution.

U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay — In September 2005, he resigned from the House because a Texas court charged him of violating campaign finance laws and money laundering. DeLay pleaded not guilty, claiming political motivation for the charges. Was found guilty in 2010. His conviction was overturned in 2013 due to insufficient evidence.

...
Wikipedia