The Democrats’ Turn to Cope with Scandals

The arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich on Tuesday marked the latest in a series of scandals involving Democratic politicians — an ironic turn for a party that won control of Congress in 2006 in part by saying it would end a “culture of corruption” under Republican leadership.

Democrats also highlighted Republican ethical problems in the successful bid to expand their congressional majorities this year, and Barack Obama made government transparency and a crackdown on lobbyist influence a theme of his presidential campaign.

Read more: (Janet Hook, “It’s the Democrats’ Turn to Cope with Scandals,” Los Angeles Times, 12/10/08)