Politicians are expected to uphold the laws that they enact. When politicians or government officials violate the rules and regulations enacted by the Congress a scandal ensues. Politicians try to avoid a scandal because it spoils the reputation of a political party they represent. There is no administration that has ever been spared from political scandals since the George Washington took the reins of the United States Federal Government. The public loses trust in their capacity to carry out government business; therefore, the disgraced politicians are forced to resign.
On 27 January 2014, Trey Radel resigned from Congress in connection to a cocaine scandal. The Republican was arrested when he bought three and half grams of an undercover agent in Washington, Detroit. The politician bought the cocaine, although it has been criminalized in the United States of America. The Congress has put the laws and regulations aimed at ensuring that the proliferation of illegal drugs is curtailed in the United States of America. The congressman was persuaded by fellow politicians to resign from office. The 37 years old congressman before he resigned was under investigation by the House Ethics Committee.
President Barrack Obama’s appointee, Terrence Flynn, to the National Relations Board was forced to resign for violation of ethics. Terrence was accused of disseminating confidential information to the National Association of manufacturers. His appointment was riddled with controversy as the president bypassed Congress to make the appointments to the Board. The Inspector General concluded that Terrence Flynn had committed violations of ethics when he revealed information about the status of pending cases. Democrats called on Terrence to resign arguing that his revelation of confidential information compromised the integrity of the Agency.
In conclusion, political scandals betray the tenets of democratic governance. Leaders are expected to uphold the ethics of the people they represent. To avoid the resignation of leaders from office, only those leaders that are qualified and pass the integrity bar should appointed to office.
Works Cited
Hananel, Sam. "Terence Flynn Resigns From National Labor Relations Board Amid Ethics Violation Allegations." Huffington Post 27 May 2012: 12. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/28/terence-flynn-resigns-nlrb_n_1549708.html>.
Larson, Leslie. "Trey Radel resigns from Congress after cocaine scandal: 'Professionally I cannot fully and effectively serve'." New York Daily News 27 January 2014: 13. <http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/trey-radel-resign-congress-cocaine-scandal-article-1.1592428>.
