Download or read book Keystone Corruption written by Brad Bumsted and published by Camino Books. This book was released on 2013-09-09 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "'Keystone Corruption: A Pennsylvania Insider's View of a State Gone Wrong' traces the cyclical nature of misconduct in Pennsylvania government over the course of the last hundred years. Most of the book focuses on corruption since the 1970s, when the author had a front-row seat during the unprecedented scandals of 2007 through 2012. . . The book is not intended as a complete history. It includes the author's impressions of powerful legislative leaders and top aides who abused the taxpayers in ways that did not, like many of the allegations against them, land in criminal court. When it came to crimes, from Bonusgate to Computergate and the "BIG" caper-Bumsted tracked the cases at every turn." -- Cover page 4.

Download or read book Anatomy of a Banking Scandal written by Robert Pasley and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-07-05 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the early 1990s, the First National Bank of Keystone in West Virginia began buying and securitizing subprime mortgages from all over the country, and quickly grew from a tiny bank with just $100 million in assets to over $1.1 billion. For three years, it was listed as the most profitable large community bank in the country. It was all a fraud. All of the securitization deals the bank entered into lost money. To hide that fact, bank insiders started cooking the books, and concealing that they were also embezzling millions of dollars from the bank. This was all hidden from the bank's attorneys and auditors, federal bank examiners, and even the board of directors of the bank. To keep the examiners at bay, the bank insiders did everything possible to avoid giving them access to documents they were entitled to see, documents they knew would sink their scheme. The head of the bank even went so far as to bury four large truckloads of documents in a ditch on her ranch. Robert S. Pasley explores the failure of the First National Bank of Keystone, the intrigue involved, and the lessons that could have been learned and still can be learned about how banks operate, how federal banking regulators supervise financial institutions, how agencies interact with one another, and how such failures can be avoided in the future.

Download or read book Pennsylvania Politics Today and Yesterday written by Paul B. Beers and published by Penn State Press. This book was released on 2010-11-01 with total page 489 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book On the Front Lines of Pennsylvania Politics written by John M. Baer and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2012-09-25 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Enjoy a fun look at behind-the-scenes politics and personalities in the history of Harrisburg and the Keystone State. Pennsylvania, first home of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, has a tradition of political progress. However, along with the good, the political playground of Pennsylvania has also seen the brazenly bad behavior of its political leaders. For over twenty-five years, political columnist John Baer has had a front-row seat to the foibles and follies of the Keystone State's political system. Baer takes readers through his memories of covering state politics for the last quarter century, from Democratic governor Milton Shapp's short-lived run for president--in which he finished behind "no preference" in the Florida primary--to highlights of some of the game-changing campaign missteps and maneuvers that moved administrations in and out of the capital. With a delightfully gruff wit, Baer gives readers a behind-the-scenes view of the politics and personalities that have passed through Harrisburg.

Download or read book Pennsylvania Government and Politics written by Thomas J. Baldino and published by Penn State Press. This book was released on 2024-03-12 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a comprehensive examination of the Keystone State’s formal and informal political institutions and players, past and present, and elucidates the place each holds in governing the commonwealth today. Covering a period of more than three hundred years, this volume presents a clear and succinct overview of • the commonwealth’s political history, culture, and geography; • interactions between office holders, civil servants, special interest groups, and the media; • policy development and implementation; • how laws are created, enacted, and enforced; • hierarchy and interaction among state, county, local, and special district government bodies and officials; • tax collection and disbursement; and • the political upheaval in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 presidential election. Featuring practical appendixes and interviews with current and past office holders, bureaucrats, party leaders, and political journalists, this astute and informative book is an indispensable tool for understanding politics in the Keystone State.

Download or read book Broken Trust written by Samuel P. King and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 2006-01-01 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop was the largest landowner and richest woman in the Hawaiian kingdom. Upon her death in 1884, she entrusted her property--"known as Bishop Estate--"to five trustees in order to create and maintain an institution that would benefit the children of Hawai'i: Kamehameha Schools. A century later, Bishop Estate controlled nearly one out of every nine acres in the state, a concentration of private land ownership rarely seen anywhere in the world. Then in August 1997 the unthinkable happened: Four revered kupuna (native Hawaiian elders) and a professor of trust-law publicly charged Bishop Estate trustees with gross incompetence and massive trust abuse. Entitled "Broken Trust," the statement provided devastating details of rigged appointments, violated trusts, cynical manipulation of the trust's beneficiaries, and the shameful involvement of many of Hawai'i's powerful. No one is better qualified to examine the events and personalities surrounding the scandal than two of the original "Broken Trust" authors.Their comprehensive account together with historical background, brings to light information that has never before been made public, including accounts of secret meetings and communications involving Supreme Court justices.

Download or read book Money Pitcher written by William C. Kashatus and published by Penn State Press. This book was released on 2006 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Charles Albert Bender was one of baseball&’s most talented pitchers. By the end of his major league career in 1925, he had accrued 212 wins and more than 1,700 strikeouts, and in 1953, he became the first American Indian elected to baseball&’s Hall of Fame. But as a high-profile Chippewa Indian in a bigoted society, Bender knew firsthand the trauma of racism. In Money Pitcher: Chief Bender and the Tragedy of Indian Assimilation, William C. Kashatus offers the first biography of this compelling and complex figure. Bender&’s career in baseball began on the sandlots of Pennsylvania&’s Carlisle Indian Industrial School, where he distinguished himself as a hard-throwing pitcher. Soon, in 1903, Philadelphia Athletics manager Connie Mack signed Bender to his pitching staff, where he was a mainstay for more than a decade. Mack regarded Bender as his &“money pitcher&”&—the hurler he relied on whenever he needed a critical victory. But with success came suffering. Spectators jeered Bender on the field and taunted him with war whoops. Newspapers ridiculed him in their sports pages. His own teammates derisively referred to him as &“Chief,&” and Mack paid him less than half the salary of other star pitchers. This constant disrespect became a major factor in one of the most controversial episodes in the history of baseball: the alleged corruption of the 1914 World Series. Despite being heavily favored going into the Series against the Boston Braves, the A&’s lost four straight games. Kashatus offers compelling evidence that Bender intentionally compromised his performance in the Series as retribution for the poor treatment he suffered. Money Pitcher is not just another baseball book. It is a book about social justice and Native Americans&’ tragic pursuit of the white American Dream at the expense of their own identity. Having arrived in the major leagues only thirteen years after the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890, Bender experienced the disastrous effects of governmental assimilation policies designed to quash indigenous Indian culture. Yet his remarkable athleticism and dignified behavior disproved popular notions of Native American inferiority and opened the door to the majors for more than 120 Indians who played baseball during the first half of the twentieth century.

Download or read book A Masterpiece of Corruption written by L C Tyler and published by Constable. This book was released on 2016-01-14 with total page 215 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The second John Grey historical mystery It is December 1657. John Grey, at his cramped desk in Lincoln's Inn, is attempting to resume his legal career. A mysterious message from a 'Mr SK' tempts him out into the snowy streets of London and to what he believes will be a harmless diversion from his studies. But Mr SK's letter proves to have been intended for somebody else entirely and Grey unwittingly finds himself in the middle of a plot to assassinate the Lord Protector - a plot about which he now knows more than it is safe to know. Can he both prevent the murder and (of greater immediate relevance) save his own skin? Both the Sealed Knot and Cromwell's Secretary of State, John Thurloe believe he is on their side, but he is unsure that either is on his. As somebody is kind enough to point out to him: 'You are a brave man, Grey. The life of a double agent can be exciting but very short.' Grey just has to hope that prediction is wrong. Praise for L.C. Tyler 'Tyler juggles his characters, story wit and clever one liners with perfect balance' - The Times 'A cracking pace, lively dialogue, wickedly witty one-liners salted with sophistication . . . Why would we not want more of John Grey?' - The Bookbag

Download or read book Police Politics Corruption written by Frank McKetta and published by McClain Printing Company. This book was released on 2000-01 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A revealing story of how politics has influenced local state & federal law enforcement from the turn of the last century until very recent times. This hard cover, 201 page book covers not only some vignettes of historical political corruption in police work but some of his personal experiences in coping with the problem. Colonel McKetta offers his perspective on some approaches to lessening the corruptive influence of politics; thus positioning his book as a "primer" in the study of law enforcement in all jurisdictions. The book may be ordered from Polis Publishing, 4107 Park St., Camp Hill, PA 17011. Single copy price = $14.00 plus $3.00 shipping & handling, plus 6% Sales Tax, Total=$18.02 Checks or Money Orders accepted.

Download or read book The Violet Keystone written by Garth Nix and published by HarperCollins UK. This book was released on 2010 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tal and Milla are only one step away from death, while the evil that has controlled their world for so long is about to triumph. If the Veil is lifted, nothing can save the Dark World. Their one glimmer of hope is to confront the monster Sharrakor and regain the violet keystone.

Download or read book We ll Make You an Offer You Can t Refuse written by Frederick Martens and published by eBook Partnership. This book was released on 2015-10-21 with total page 235 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book addresses the investigation and prosecution of public and political corruption. It focuses on the investigation of the former Attorney General of Pennsylvania, Ernest Preate, who was convicted of mail fraud and served 15 months in Federal prison. The various political machinations that confronted the Pennsylvania Crime Commission when it decided to pursue the investigation of Preate are used to educate the reader on what to expect when and if he or she initiates an investigation of a powerful political official. The author who dedicated over 30 years to investigating the Mafia, political corruption, narcotics trafficking and money laundering addresses a myriad of investigative conundrums in the investigation of complex crimes. He describes the practical implications of enforcing laws that a significant minority of the population chooses to disobey and the corruption that emanates from this disrespect for the law. The author takes you on an eye-opening journey into the world of criminal justice, which often is permeated by raw political and financial power.

Download or read book Vanity Fair s Schools For Scandal written by Graydon Carter and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-08-15 with total page 431 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vanity Fair’s Schools for Scandal brings together the magazine’s finest reporting on the scandals that have swept our nation’s most elite campuses over the past twenty-five years—all collected in one definitive, “fascinating, eye-opening” (Booklist) volume edited by Graydon Carter and introduced by Cullen Murphy. Many of us have long suspected an American obsession with status. Now Graydon Carter has collected extraordinary articles from Vanity Fair that show the lengths we will go to achieve it, preserve it, or destroy it—from the enduring, shadowy influence of Yale’s secret societies to the infamous “senior salute” at St. Paul’s School; from the false accusations in the Duke lacrosse team’s infamous rape case to the (mis)reportage of a sexual assault at the University of Virginia; from a deadly extreme-sport episode at Oxford to the Keystone Kop theft of a college’s rare books to the allegations of fraud by the now-shuttered Trump University. Vanity Fair’s Schools for Scandal brings focus to the perils facing American education today and how the life of the mind, and the significance of the institutions meant to foster it, has been negatively impacted by the partisan politics of privatization, tensions over so-called political correctness, the fraught dynamic of the teacher-student relationship, and what happens when visions for a bold future collide with the desire to maintain hidebound (or venerable) traditions. With an array of Vanity Fair’s signature writers—including Buzz Bissinger, William D. Cohan, Sarah Ellison, Evgenia Peretz, Todd S. Purdum, and Sam Tanenhaus, among others—Vanity Fair’s Schools for Scandal presents a compelling if troubling account of the state of elite education today, and the evolving social, sexual, racial, and economic forces that have shaped it.

Download or read book Why Are You Here written by Franklin L. Kury and published by University Press of America. This book was released on 2014-10-08 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why Are You Here?: A Primer for State Legislators and Citizens is a challenge to America’s 7,382 state legislators and their constituents to critically examine their state legislature and take appropriate action to improve it. This is a handbook telling how legislatures came to be, how they function, and discussing how they have fallen in public esteem. The book provides an analytical discussion for evaluating how any legislature deals with four issues: personal greed, criminal and ethical scandal, the influence of money and lobbying, and self-serving legislative seat apportionment. The last section is a “Legislative Toolbox” that provides information helpful in evaluating legislatures and readings of a patriotic nature that enhance idealism and spirit.

Download or read book Crude Intentions written by Alexandra Gillies and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2019-12-20 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Billions of dollars stolen from citizens are circling the globe, enriching powerful individuals, altering political outcomes, and disadvantaging everyday people. News headlines provide glimpses of how this corruption works and why it matters: President Trump's businesses struck deals with oligarchs and sold property to secretive shell companies; the Panama Papers leak triggered investigations in 79 countries; and, corruption scandals toppled heads of state in Brazil, South Africa, and South Korea. But how do these pieces fit together? And if the corruption is so vast and so tied up with powerful interests, how do we begin to fight back? To find answers, Crude Intentions examines the corruption crisis that erupted during the recent oil boom. From 2008 to 2014, oil prices shot through the roof. Motivated by more than nine trillion dollars in new oil money, corruption followed apace. Examining the oil boom is like placing a drop of dye in the circulatory system of global corruption, and watching as it reveals the system's channels and pathways. Company bosses signed off on risky schemes to snap up choice oil blocks. Politicians in Brazil and Nigeria stole billions to build up their election war chests. Kleptocrats in Angola, Azerbaijan, and Russia seized upon the oil wealth to cement their hold on power. And an army of bankers, accountants, and lawyers lined up to help these corrupt actors stash their loot in the global system of shell companies and tax havens that serves today's super-rich. The money then bought yachts, mansions, and even a few foreign politicians. Drawing on information exposed by intrepid journalists, prosecutors, and whistle blowers, Crude Intentions tells jaw-dropping stories of corruption and asks what we can learn from them. The cases reveal common tactics, but also vulnerabilities in this web of fraud. These are the starting points for building a smarter fight against corruption, in the oil sector and well beyond.

Download or read book Keystone Corruption Continues written by Brad Bumsted and published by Sunbury Press, Incorporated. This book was released on 2016-07-29 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Once again, a crime wave swept through Pennsylvania state government. During a 17-month period from early 2015 through mid-2016, a sitting state treasurer, and a former state treasurer, both statewide elected officials who were guardians of taxpayers' money, were charged with crimes, as was an ex-Governor's chief of staff and the attorney general, the state's chief law enforcement officer. It was preceded by a sting investigation that resulted in state legislators videotaped taking cash from an undercover operative posing as a lobbyist and an alleged pay to play scheme at the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Porn and off-color emails on government computers took out two Supreme Court justices. It's all in Brad Bumsted's latest book: "Keystone Corruption Continues: Cash Payoffs, Porngate and the Kathleen Kane Scandal."

Download or read book Patent Fraud and Inequitable Conduct written by C. Bruce Hamburg and published by Clark Boardman Callaghan. This book was released on 1972 with total page 854 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Thicker N Thieves written by Charles Stoker and published by . This book was released on 2011-03 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the Publisher: Thicker'N Thieves: The 1950 Factual Expose of Police-Pay-Offs, Graft, Political Corruption and Prostitution in Los Angeles and Hollywood is the full, fearless expose by former LAPD vice-squad Sgt. Charles Stoker. Twenty-years before SERPICO there was STOKER. The Stoker Story originally published in 1951 and written by a rank-and-file LAPD vice-cop, reveals 1940s Los Angeles as it was-"THE CITY OF ANGLES."Inside these pages you will read how a Main Street street-walker, Marie Mitchell, zoomed to national fame as Brenda Allen-L.A.'s notorious vice queen-with the help and protection of the "city fathers" in cahoots with the underworld. You will "listen in" on the wire-tap recordings of Brenda getting her instructions from the high brass on the police force...you won't believe the conniving, crime-full corruption, that cost Stoker his job when he finally trapped, call house madame, Brenda Allen.Sgt. Stoker's expose provides us with a real-time ride-along with LAPD as they secretly wire-tap gangster Mickey Cohen's mansion, then demand $20,000 in extortion monies for the incriminating tapes. You are present in the jury-room as Sgt. Stoker presents his secret testimony to the 1949 Grand Jury, detailing police corruption and pay-offs. His whistle-blowing revelations resulted in a felony indictment and the forced retirement of LAPD Chief of Police, C.B. "Cowboy" Horrall as well as causing formal charges to be filed against four of Horrall's top command officers.T'NT is dynamite! In writing this story, and in his long fight to have it published most publishers considered it "too hot to handle"-the highest compliment paid to Stoker was the frequent remark, "Publish this book and it will cost you your life!"The 1949 Grand Jury Foreman agreed. Here is the actual headline from the Los Angeles Times dated. July 8, 1948: Grand Jury Chief Fears for Life of Stoker After He Testifies AgainThe L.A. Times article goes on to quote grand-jury foreman Harry Lawson: "Stoker is the real informer in this case. Brenda Allen is just peanuts compared to what he has given us. He should be under guard. If he continues to name names and situations like he did today he will be found dead on the curb within five days." Pub. Note- The original 1951 hardback limited edition of T'NT by Sidereal Company, Los Angeles, is long out of print. (The few rare copies listed for sale on the Internet, are priced between $300-$500) This republished paperback edition makes Thicker'N Thieves - The Stoker Story available to the general public for the first time since its original limited printing some sixty-years ago. This 2011 edition is true to the original. None of the author's words have been changed or edited. Additions to the 2011 edition include: A Foreword by Steve Hodel, NYT bestselling author and retired LAPD homicide detective; photographs and "Line-Up" of many of the original "players" named in the Stoker Story.