I am wanting to know how many of our elected officials have criminal records.I am interested in congress and senate mainly but if it is a top official I would still like to know.
There was once a list on the internet but I cannot find it now. This is for inclusion in a masters thesis so if there is a website that has the info I would like to have the link to it.

Define "criminal record". Do you mean felonies, misdemenors or everything? I had a fine for not returning a library book. Not the library's fine but one from a magistrate. Is that a criminal act? I want to meet the person this day and age who doesn't have any type of record.

Certain fines do not constitute a record. I have had a few fines in my day and it is no criminal record that will ever effect me down the road.

I would say most public officials did not have a record before office because it would deffinately limit their opportunity to run. Now public officials with a record after serving in office could be a different story.

I am interested more in felonies and maybe even bankruptcies. Misdemeanors would be OK as well.

Thank you 12m8keall2c. This was a real help. I am going to make it public at my website when completed. I have a rough draft there now for all to see but I would like to have the finished product before I really come out with it.

If you would like I can add you as a contributor in the footnotes. I can either use your name here or I can use your real name. This is totally up to you.

Interesting site. Democrats 24 Republicans 9
This is just the ones mentioned by name and party on the website.
If your research permits, it would be interesting to have a break down by party and if the offense happened while they were in office.

DF1 nice link.

Republican anti-abortion activist Neal Horsley admitted to having sex with a mule.

Is this for real?

Perhaps the following quote has a place on your website.

It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native criminal class except Congress. -- Mark Twain

I got this in an email the other day...have no idea how accurate it is, but thought I'd share it:

36 have been accused of spousal abuse
7 have been arrested for fraud
19 have been accused of writing bad checks
117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
3 have done time for assault
71 cannot get a credit card because of bad credit
14 have been arrested on drug-related charges
8 have been arrested for shoplifting
21 are currently defendants in lawsuits
84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the past year

(this from the 535 members of Congress).

Sure would be interesting to see if that's all true.

[edit on 4-27-2006 by Valhall]

Originally posted by Valhall
I got this in an email the other day...have no idea how accurate it is, but thought I'd share it:

36 have been accused of spousal abuse
7 have been arrested for fraud
19 have been accused of writing bad checks
117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
3 have done time for assault
71 cannot get a credit card because of bad credit
14 have been arrested on drug-related charges
8 have been arrested for shoplifting
21 are currently defendants in lawsuits
84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the past year

(this from the 535 members of Congress).

Sure would be interesting to see if that's all true.

I wonder how many members are listed here more than once. How do you indirectly bankrupt a business? It seems that the bankruptcies and bad credit may go hand in hand.

Jim,

What would really be an eye-opener is if there is a member who is on EVERY line item.

lol - We have a winner!

Originally posted by Valhall
lol - We have a winner!

Ted Kennedy?