Political scandals can have profound effects on public perceptions of government institutions and politicians, resulting in increased skepticism about government processes and the motivations of politicians. Such scandals can erode trust in political institutions, depress civic engagement, and lead to decreased voter turnout and electoral competition. Media coverage of political scandals often leads to calls for accountability and reform, and can impact a politician’s career prospects and the political landscape.
The word “corruption” is commonly used in political discourse to describe a wide range of behaviors that politicians engage in for private gain, from rampant bribe-taking during the Gilded Age to more recent allegations of cronyism involving Iraq War contracts with Haliburton. These corrupt activities harm the public, leading to misdirected spending of public funds that diminishes public services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
But it is important to recognize that political scandals do not always reflect actual misconduct by politicians. In fact, political polarization can lead to a vicious cycle in which politicians’ aligned parties suppress information about their misbehavior and opposing party members make false accusations for political gain. In these circumstances, the resulting scandals can become a proxy for ideological disagreement rather than actual misconduct.
In this week’s episode of Politics in Question, Lee and Julia talk with Charles Hunt and Jaclyn Kettler about the relationship between polarization and the production of political scandal. Hunt and Kettler are both Associate Professors of Political Science at Boise State University. They are also the hosts of a podcast called Scandalized, where they unpack each week’s political scandal.