“Corruption” on The Daily Caller

The food and beverage industry has already donated over $7.9 million to federal candidates, parties and outside political groups during the 2012 election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, demonstrating its power and influence in Washington. (more)

The medical industry, as we know it now, is quickly changing, thanks to a $19 billion section of the 2009 stimulus bill. (more)

According to suspicious activity reports (SARs) submitted to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), 2011 saw an all-time high in alleged claims of money laundering, consumer loan fraud, debit card fraud, mortgage loan fraud and casino fraud. (more)

2001 was a year of turmoil: America was attacked on Sept. 11, ushering the U.S. into the War on Terror. Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs lent Greece 2.8 billion euros in a secret, yet legal transaction to disguise the country’s ill financial fitness in order to enter the Eurozone. (more)

Is marijuana really “the last thing we need … to be legalized?” (more)

Digital billboards having been popping up more and more in recent years, currently accounting for 2,000 to 3,000 of the some 400,000 billboards nationwide. But any aggressive moves for these these eye-grabbing displays to be widespread may have to wait on account for an allegedly botched report by the Federal Highway Administration. (more)

Last week the Senate passed the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, legislation aimed at curbing concerns, first explored by “60 Minutes,” that lawmakers were using their privileged positions to enrich themselves with inside information about public companies. (more)

The Clean Up Government Act, a bipartisan attempt to toughen anti-corruption laws that the Supreme Court has deemed insufficiently vague, is both unnecessary and possibly harmful, critics contend. (more)

Former lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s book goes on sale today. His memoir will hopefully be a catalyst for Washington to have an honest conversation about money and accountability in politics. Unfortunately, I’m not sure that conversation has gotten off to the best start. (more)

In light of the Solyndra bankruptcy, terms like “economic stimulus package” and “green jobs” now appear to be Team Obama code words for “kickbacks to political supporters so huge they would make a third-world despot green with envy.” (more)

MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan is mad as hell and he doesn’t care who knows it. Actually, he does care and he hopes that everyone knows it; Ratigan’s on-air meltdown this week on America’s financial mess has gone viral, and he has heartily embraced the enthusiastic response he has received for “telling it like it is.” Ratigan’s “mad as hell” moment, which he now modestly refers to as “America’s mad as hell moment,” has earned the business reporter newfound fame. (more)

At first blush, the decision to indict former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) for conspiracy to accept illegal campaign contributions, given the facts and circumstances, seems like a stretch, to say the least. (more)

For years, America’s left-leaning mainstream media outlets have belittled and rebuked members of the new media — questioning their credibility, impugning their integrity and assigning all manner of self-serving motivations to their contributions to the marketplace of ideas. (more)

The recent conviction of former lobbyist Kevin Ring under the “honest services” fraud statute marks the continuing mission creep of federal criminal law. Ring’s case is a cautionary tale of the terrible legal outcomes that can come about when a thoroughly dislikable — although statutorily innocent — defendant is in the dock. (more)

CHICAGO (AP) — Ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich asked a judge Wednesday to cancel his upcoming retrial on political corruption charges and promptly sentence him on the sole conviction from the first trial, saying money woes prevent him from mounting an ample defense. (more)

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) released a statement on Thursday praising Speaker of the House John Boehner for forcing out Republican congressmen exposed for unethical behavior. (more)

In an effort to bring attention to the problem of investment fraud, federal authorities on Monday highlighted hundreds of cases where defendants accused of financial wrongdoing had been arrested, charged criminally or sentenced to lengthy prison terms. (more)

After two months bankers would like to forget, Wall Street may need a September to remember to avoid closing the books on the worst quarter for investment banking and trading revenue since the peak of the financial crisis. (more)

In his song “Brownsville Girl,” Bob Dylan observes that “even the swap meets around here are getting pretty corrupt.” That line came to mind for me when I saw the Daily Caller article entitled “True stories of bloggers who secretly feed on partisan cash.” How discouraging! (more)

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) on Tuesday noted it was Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), not him, who promised to “drain the swamp” of corruption in Washington. (more)