Busted: Politicians Caught With Their Hands in the Cookie Jar
Roundup of politicians whose greed clouded their judgment.
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Mean Green - Money can buy power but only if done the right (read legal) way. That's a lesson that this group of African-American lawmakers apparently never quite grasped. As a result of their greed, once bright futures will be asterisks on their criminal records. —Joyce Jones (Photo: REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco)
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Kwame Kilpatrick - Former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick received a 28-year prison sentence on Oct. 10 for several counts of corruption, including racketeering and extortion. It is one of the strictest sentences ever handed down for major state and local public corruption cases, The New York Times reported. “At the very least, a significant sentence will send a message that this kind of conduct will not be tolerated,” said sentencing Judge Nancy G. Edmunds. Some say his greed contributed to Detroit's economic crisis. (Photo: AP Photo/Jerry Lemenu)
Photo By Photo: Jerry Lemenu/AP Photo
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Michael Brown - Michael Brown is the latest and one of several Washington, D.C. lawmakers to get caught violating the public's trust. On June 10, Brown has pleaded guilty to accepting $55,000 in bribes from undercover FBI agents and faces up to 37 months in prison. He is the son of the late Ron Brown, a former Democratic National Committee chairman and Commerce Department secretary.(Photo: Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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Eric Stevenson - Bronx assemblyman Eric Stevenson was arrested in April for allegedly accepting $20,000 in bribes in exchange for assistance opening two adult daycare centers in his borough. (Photo: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)
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Malcolm Smith - New York City Republicans were kind of hard up for a mayoral candidate, but not one who had to bribe his way onto the ballot. Still state Sen. Malcolm Smith, a Democrat, thought it was possible if he paid a "pretty penny" for it. But an FBI sting operation that led to his arrest on April 2, has set him on another path. (Photo: REUTERS/Mike Segar)
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Shirley Huntley - The former New York state Senator was sentenced to a year in prison on May 9 for embezzlement and bribery. And, as part of plea deal, she named names, including several other African-American lawmakers. (Photo: Courtesy of Shirley Huntley)
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John Sampson - The FBI is investigating whether New York state Sen. John Sampson accepted fees from businessmen in exchange for help dealing with the government. He's also accused of embezzling $440,000 from foreclosure sale escrow funds to finance a 2005 campaign bid for Brooklyn district attorney. (Photo: AP Photo/Mike Groll, File)