"A prediction: The U.S. is due for a huge scandal involving big money, bribery and politicians."

[ProSense]

More Cash Blots Out ‘Sunlight’ in U.S. Elections: Albert Hunt

A prediction: The U.S. is due for a huge scandal involving big money, bribery and politicians. Not the small fry that dominates the ethics fights in Washington; really big stuff; think Watergate.

It is axiomatic in politics that without accountability there is abuse. This year, there is a massive infusion of special-interest money into U.S. politics that is secret, not reported. Corporations and other interests will spend more than $250 million of undisclosed funds to affect the outcome of the Nov. 2 national elections.

<...>

Corrado, noting the Chamber’s political sophistication, doubts that. It really misses the point. It would be perfectly legal, for example, for the Chamber to receive secret money from a U.S. subsidiary of London-based BP Plc, or Houston-based Citgo Petroleum Corp., the U.S. subsidiary of the Venezuelan oil company, or health-insurance companies, or big oil companies, or smut peddlers. The issue is that the public doesn’t know the source.

<...>

They are shrewd at deflecting attention from their clandestine operations. Gillespie says the Democrats always operate the same way; in an e-mail he cites a news report that labor unions and their political-action committees spent almost $450 million to help the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, in the 2008 presidential contest.

Donor Identity

Gillespie, a former Republican Party chairman, intimately familiar with the rules, knows political-action committees have to disclose contributors; and unlike in the case of Crossroads GPS, voters know the identity and general purpose of money spent by a labor union.

Rove, donning his civil-libertarian cap, expresses outrage at government or politicians threatening to reveal the identity of secret, wealthy campaign contributors.

more

Chamber’s Latest Lie: Our Foreign Fundraising Program Isn’t Part Of The Chamber

Worse Than Watergate?

Edited to add: CREW Joins Complaint Against U.S. Chamber Of Commerce For Misusing Funds For Political Activities

[tibbiit]

1. How many things have been worse than watergate?

Over the last 10 plus years there have been many many things worse than watergate.
I hate to be a pessimist but nothing will come of this worse-than-watergate either.
I wish this wasnt true but even if this gets traction, the dems will say "Oh never mind ... we must move the country forward not stay stuck in the past." Then these people will skate off into unaccountability like the others did from watergate to 9-11 to stealing 18 billion from iraq, to abu grabe to spying on americans etc etc... enron, banksters etc etc etc ad infinitude.
I will believe this when I see Karl Rove in that orange suit we were promised.
tib

[alsame]

6. +1. But the only thing that approached the truly

scandalous level in the MSM and Congress was Clinton's BJ.

Apparently that was much worse than a stolen election, a war based on lies, approving torture, domestic spying or outing a CIA agent.

[Speck Tater]

2. A scandal is only as big as the corporate media allows it to be.

If the Republican party is accepting under-the-table campaign contributions from bin Laden himself and corporate media fails to report it, then as far as the public is concerned, it never happened.

[ProSense]

11. Think Progress

has done a good job keeping this in the media.

[Warren Stupidity]

3. The corruption is right out in the open and considered business as usual.

We have been in a naked emperor condition for at least the last 20 years.

[xchrom]

4. I think some culprit might be caught and the might be some justice

Delivered - but not to the extent that it will deter
Wrong doing for the foreseeable future.

[Imagevision]

5. The latest on foreclosure frauds by Banks has been side stepped by the M$M...

[felix_numinous]

7. There's not a -gate big enough for all this secret money corruption!

[Orsino]

8. Only on days ending in -y. n/t

[Doctor_J]

9. Well, if the wingers take the House, all of the "investigations" will go one way

As you might have notice, Repukes, regardless of how corrupt, depraved, dishonest, or sociopathic they are, are never held to account for anything (ref. Gingrinch, Vitter)

[ProSense]

10. The House can't stop an IRS or FEC investigation. n/t