White House Ethics: The History of the Politics of Conflict of Interest Regulation

(Hardback)

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This book presents an overview of the political occurrences that have affected the regulation of conflict of interest in government. Exploring the far-reaching consequences of the conduct and misconduct of past administrations, this provocative study traces the development of standards-of-conduct regulations and the implementation of regulatory laws, beginning with the Truman presidency, followed by the Eisenhower years, the New Frontier, the Ethical Nightmare of the Nixon administration, Carter and Ethics Reform, and Ronald Reagan.

Reviews

A timely and important contribution to the study of applied ethics and government. It is a well-written, comprehensive account of the history of conflict of interest legislation focusing primarily on the post-WW II years to the Reagan administration. Although there have been laws about bribery, theft, and graft since the Founding, the modern period, Roberts notes, primarily shows the growth of complex statutes and regulations concerning conflicts of interest and the appearances of misuse of public office. This growth of governmental regulation parallels the growth of government in all areas since the New Deal. The author devotes a chapter to each administration since Truman, focusing on its ethical problems and on congressioned attempts to remedy them. Roberts pays particular atttention to the partisan context of these controversies. He concludes that the problem of conflicts of interest will not be resolved until there is a nonpartisan consensus that acknowledges the burden of regulation on recruitment as well as on criminal and noncriminal behavior.-Choice
It is hard to imagine a more timely book than this one on the ethical improprieties of presidential appointees when the print and electronic media are filled with allegations of illegal activities attributed to various Reagan intimates. Robert Roberts, a political science professor at James Madison University, has provided interested observers and concerned professionals with insights into the problem of past administrations with the questionable ethics of their appointees and the evolution of legislation and executive directives aimed, ostensibly at least, at discouraging the all too common and even intractable problem of conflict of interest. Roberts has provided an exhaustive review of the literature via government documents and such secondary sources as the National Journal, Congressional Quarterly and the New York Times. Historicans will find it useful because of the detailed discussion of conflict of interest problems stretching from 1789 to WWII and then through each administration from Truman through Reagan in the more or less detailed chapter-by-chapter format. . . . This work is highly recommended to professionals in law and political science.-Perspective
"A timely and important contribution to the study of applied ethics and government. It is a well-written, comprehensive account of the history of conflict of interest legislation focusing primarily on the post-WW II years to the Reagan administration. Although there have been laws about bribery, theft, and graft since the Founding, the modern period, Roberts notes, primarily shows the growth of complex statutes and regulations concerning conflicts of interest and the appearances of misuse of public office. This growth of governmental regulation parallels the growth of government in all areas since the New Deal. The author devotes a chapter to each administration since Truman, focusing on its ethical problems and on congressioned attempts to remedy them. Roberts pays particular atttention to the partisan context of these controversies. He concludes that the problem of conflicts of interest will not be resolved until there is a nonpartisan consensus that acknowledges the burden of regulation on recruitment as well as on criminal and noncriminal behavior."-Choice
"It is hard to imagine a more timely book than this one on the ethical improprieties of presidential appointees when the print and electronic media are filled with allegations of illegal activities attributed to various Reagan intimates. Robert Roberts, a political science professor at James Madison University, has provided interested observers and concerned professionals with insights into the problem of past administrations with the questionable ethics of their appointees and the evolution of legislation and executive directives aimed, ostensibly at least, at discouraging the all too common and even intractable problem of conflict of interest. Roberts has provided an exhaustive review of the literature via government documents and such secondary sources as the National Journal, Congressional Quarterly and the New York Times. Historicans will find it useful because of the detailed discussion of conflict of interest problems stretching from 1789 to WWII and then through each administration from Truman through Reagan in the more or less detailed chapter-by-chapter format. . . . This work is highly recommended to professionals in law and political science."-Perspective

Author Bio

ROBERT N. ROBERTS is Assistant Professor of Political Science at James Madison University.