Yesterday, three judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals rejected Democratic Congressman William Jefferson’s argument to dismiss a 16-count indictment stemming from bribery and conspiracy charges. (JimsNotes:  Jefferson is the Louisiana congressman who was videotaped by the FBI receiving $100,000 in cash as part of an investigation in which, according to an FBI statement, “Jefferson sought things of value in...

One of the pleasureable aspects of being a writer is meeting and speaking with many interesting people; people with their own stories of principle. Two examples are Sam Broadnax and Art Harmon.  Both were part of the elite fighter pilot group known as the Tuskegee Airmen.  And both have a clear understanding of what they stand for. Sam Broadnax has had...

If I had the opportunity to speak to Congress on the importance of trust, it might sound something like this – The first time I became aware of political leadership it was 1961. Our 7th grade homeroom teacher wheeled in a big television set so that the entire class could watch the inauguration of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. We all sat...

THE MOST SACRED RELIC ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH… FILLED WITH INCREDIBLE POWER… AND INDIANA JONES MUST GET HIS HANDS ON IT BEFORE THE EVIL (NAZIS/CULTISTS/NAZIS/RUSSIANS) DO… THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD DEPENDS ON IT! World-traveling (and world-weary) archeologist Indiana Jones has studied ancient cultures, read sacred texts, raced Nazis for possession of religious artifacts, not to mention whip...

When it comes to corruption, the Four Horsemen of the Ethical Apocalypse remain:  Money, Power, Influence and Arrogance. In a 2006 survey that I conducted with Zogby International and the Center for Cultural Studies and Analysis, Americans have decidedly low levels of trust and confidence in its leadership.  “Most Americans,” the Center says, “have moved beyond thinking of violations of honesty...

Well… maybe with this guy, you could make the case for too much honesty. But the reality is that in the last several years we have seen an unsettling number of ethics scandals.  And every time another indignity is reported, our level of trust and confidence in individuals and institutions declines. In 2006, I wanted to know if these events were...