The society today is most scared to the first form of corruption which was mentioned is power misconduct. Power is known as "the capacity to achieve goals "(Leach 2008.) This could be seen in the Watergate Scandal during Richard Nixon's Presidency. This scandal occurred in 1970 and set the tone for what is seen as corruption. The actions which the Nixon administration took part in were typically illegal and only to further Nixon's agenda. .
"In mid-March, investigators into the Watergate break-in got their first big break.One of the Watergate burglars, James W.McCord Jr., wrote a letter to U.S. District Court judge John J. Sirica,leveling charges that eventually implicated the Nixon administration. He said defendants were pressured to remain silent about the burglary and to commit perjury, or lie under oath" "(Hosansky 2007.).
This is a terrifying realization for the American public that officials were to commit federal offenses just to achieve their goals. Furthermore, Nixon himself realized his wrong doings as he attempted to cover up his scandal before word got out to the American people. This impacted the American society because they felt betrayed by their president and became unsure if they could even trust him. This became a concern when it came time for trial. Nixon realized that he didn't have enough votes and resigned his post. But this shouldn't be necessary and shouldn't be a problem in the first place. America was supposed to eliminate tyranny but somewhere along the way it seems as though America has forgotten this idea, at least some officials have at the very least. America should be able to trust their leaders not watch their every move and become afraid of what their president can truly do. America should not be based on fear it is to be based on freedom.
On the federal level there are a few prime examples first mentioning personal misconduct. From Clinton onward there have been numerous cases in which the private life of America's officials gets out and doesn't exactly represent the American people the way they wish.
