"Both parties are corrupt", they say

[Caliman73]

10. There are and have been corrupt politicians from both parties.

With that you cannot argue, however, in the scale of corruption there is no comparison.

Democratic politicians can become corrupted ala Wiliam Jefferson or Rod Blagojevich etc...

The Republican party is a corrupt organization. They began the K Street project in which lobbyist had complete access and influence over the Congress. You have at least 4 Speakers of the House with corruption or criminal problems Gingrich had to resign. Hastert convicted child molester, De Lay - convicted of corruption, and Boehner - caught handing out tobacco lobby check on the floor of the House. They have cheated in at least 6 presidential elections 68, 72, 80, 2002, 2004, and 2016. At least 3 of the times that elections were influence by Republican dirty tricks, it involved conspiring with a hostile foreign power to undermine the government's efforts in foreign policy. Nixon met with North Vietnam to interfere with the peace process begun by Johnson. Reagan made a backroom deal with Iran (a nation that was holding American hostages & was on the terrorist watchlist) to sell arms illegally. Then in 2016 we have Trump working with Russia to subvert our democracy.

Again, politics can certainly corrupt people and having a D next to your name does not make you immune. However, there is only one party that easily, thoroughly, and collectively gives itself over to the most profound corruption, and that is the Republican Party.