From Watergate to Whitewater

The two decades since the Watergate scandal have seen an unprecedented focus on ethics in government. The public integrity scandals of the Clinton administration have, once again, focused national attention on ethics in Washington. This work addresses this very topical subject and the authors come to some unusual conclusions. Tracing the origins of the modern public integrity war back to the very birth of the nation, the authors explain how conservatives and progressives have used allegations of unethical conduct in an effort to persuade the American public to accept their respective visions for American society. A cynical public, anesthetized to the distinction between actual wrongdoing and partisan attack, follows ideology and self-interest rather than character, allowing politicians to get away with even the most egregious conduct.

?Roberts and Doss have produced a very important, timely, and prescient book. Robert and Doss's book...is absolutely essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the development, application, and politics of federal ethics law. From Watergate to Whitewater is an extremely valuable book. It brilliantly analyzes the history and contemporary organization of federal ethics law and polictics. It is exceptionally well researched, comprehensive, and clearheaded. It should be required reading for everyone in public life, including journalists and public integrity lawyers.?-The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, ?The book is readable by undergraduates and even the general public. It contains a useful compilation of recent ethics reform measures in the post-Watergate era. It provides not only summaries of legislation but also the contexts that prompted those ethics actions. The book is heavy on recent integrity issues, especially those in the Clinton administration, making it a timely addition to the literature.?-Perspectives on Political Science, "The book is readable by undergraduates and even the general public. It contains a useful compilation of recent ethics reform measures in the post-Watergate era. It provides not only summaries of legislation but also the contexts that prompted those ethics actions. The book is heavy on recent integrity issues, especially those in the Clinton administration, making it a timely addition to the literature."-Perspectives on Political Science, "Roberts and Doss have produced a very important, timely, and prescient book. Robert and Doss's book...is absolutely essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the development, application, and politics of federal ethics law. From Watergate to Whitewater is an extremely valuable book. It brilliantly analyzes the history and contemporary organization of federal ethics law and polictics. It is exceptionally well researched, comprehensive, and clearheaded. It should be required reading for everyone in public life, including journalists and public integrity lawyers."-The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science

ROBERT N. ROBERTS is Professor of Political Science and Law at James Madison University. He has written extensively on the subjects of public service ethics, political ethics, and employee rights and responsibilities. He is the author of White House Ethics (Greenwood, 1988).MARION T. DOSS, JR. is Professor of Political Science and Law at James Madison University. A combat veteran of the Vietnam War, his professional interests include the areas of criminal law, legal issues related to law enforcement, public service and corruption, criminal justice education, and counterintelligence. He has published a number of articles, many in collaboration with Robert N. Roberts.