1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff you missed in History Class, a production 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Holly 3 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 1: Frye and I'm Tracy V. Wilson. Tracy, you, like me, 4 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: are a registered voter. Yep. That means that I guarantee 5 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: you have gotten appeals from candidates that comes through your 6 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: inbox or your physical mail or other ways asking you 7 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: to do massa, chimpaigns, Oh my gosh, so many all 8 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: of the things. And you may wonder why, why why 9 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 1: do candidates need so much money? Why are they asking 10 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: me for money all the time. It can be so 11 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: exhausting and irritating to see that constant flow of requests 12 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:52,479 Speaker 1: for donations. And the thing is, campaigns cost money, and 13 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 1: they always have and campaign funds go to things like 14 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: travel costs and staffing and advertising and consultant fees. When 15 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: you see people message you and say, if we don't 16 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 1: earn x amount, we're out of the race, and you go, 17 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:07,400 Speaker 1: why does it cost money to be in the race? 18 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: Because they recognize that they're spinning their wheels and they 19 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: won't get enough recognition to gain voters if they're not 20 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: spending as much as other candidates to get in the 21 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: public sphere and have people hear their messages. And here's 22 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: the thing. There have been efforts in the United States 23 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: for a very long time to regulate how campaigns are 24 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:31,040 Speaker 1: funded and how campaign money can be spent. And as 25 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 1: this seems like a point of escalation, because I sure 26 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 1: am getting a lot of these lately, I always do, 27 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: but they've really amped up, this seems like as good 28 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 1: a time as any to talk about some of the 29 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: milestones in campaign finance history in the United States. And 30 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: this is a two parter because there have been a 31 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: lot of twists and turns along this road. Even the 32 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: precursors to that are their own stories. Finance reforms have 33 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: been passed, amended, and overturned, and there's been a lot 34 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: of people figuring out how to get around the letter 35 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 1: of the law. So this is a lot of ground 36 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 1: to cover, even with two parts. So just for expectations management, 37 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: we're not getting super duper granular. This is by no 38 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: means comprehensive, and in fact, we're mostly just going to 39 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 1: take it up through the nineteen seventies because that was 40 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: a very busy and important decade for campaign finance. And 41 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: we'll touch on a few points after that in the 42 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: most recent century, but not as many. So also, I 43 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 1: just want to say, heads up, if you're me or 44 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: if you're like me, you might find this all really 45 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: really depressing. I just found myself in the duldrums the 46 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: entire time I was working on this. Yeah. So, as 47 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: I said, this is a this is an episode about 48 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: US campaign finance, but this story starts before the United 49 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: States gained its independence. There was campaign spending in the colonies. Often. 50 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: The first instance sided of this is George Washington's campaign 51 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: to be elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 52 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: seventeen fifty eight. He famously spent thirty nine pounds six 53 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 1: shillings to purchase quote, a hogshead and a barrel of punch, 54 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 1: thirty five gallons of wine, forty three gallons of strong beer, cider, 55 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 1: and dinner for his friends. That is according to an 56 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: account that was written by Washington's step son, George Washington 57 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: Park custis in George Washington, a biographical companion, which was 58 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,959 Speaker 1: written by Frank Grizzard and published in two thousand and two. 59 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: There's a more granular list of the drinks, and that 60 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: includes quote nearly forty seven gallons of beer, more than 61 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: seventy gallons of rum punch, about thirty four and a 62 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: half gallons of wine, two gallons of cider, and three 63 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: and a half pints of brandy. So all of that 64 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: booze was not for Washington and his team to drink. 65 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: It was distributed by Washington's agents to voters, and the 66 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: expenditure land Washington the votes he needed to win the election. 67 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: But to be clear, he was not the first person 68 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: to operate this way. This is kind of just one 69 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: that's well documented, and because of his stature in American history, 70 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: it's been recorded and maintained. It was really customary for 71 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: elections in the seventeen hundreds to feature alcohol as part 72 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:24,919 Speaker 1: of voting day festivities. And George Washington had lost the 73 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 1: prior election in seventeen fifty five by a lot. Some 74 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 1: people will say because he didn't step up and offer 75 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 1: drinks win or Hugh West got two hundred and seventy 76 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 1: one votes in that election and the other contender, Thomas Werringin, 77 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 1: had gotten two hundred and seventy and they had both 78 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: included libations in their campaigns, and Washington was engaged in 79 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: the French and Indian War at the time, so he 80 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 1: did not campaign in person, and he did not send 81 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: anyone on his behalf to distribute drinks. The practice of 82 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: spending money on campaigns was standard from the beginning, but 83 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:03,239 Speaker 1: those nines typically came out of the candidate's own pocket. 84 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 1: Friends who were supporters almost certainly also paid for some expenses. 85 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: But it really wasn't until Andrew Jackson's eighteen twenty eight 86 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 1: campaign for president that the idea of political fundraising got started. 87 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 1: That was because Jackson didn't have the wealth that other 88 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 1: presidential candidates before him had. He had become a lawyer 89 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: after he taught himself law. This was not the result 90 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: of having an expensive education or generational wealth to rely on. 91 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: And we want to be very very clear Jackson was 92 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:40,840 Speaker 1: by no means poor when he ran for office. His 93 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 1: law practice very fruitful. He had become a territorial governor 94 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: of Florida after serving as a general in the War 95 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: of eighteen twelve. His Tennessee mansion, the Hermitage, had a 96 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: large and enslaved workforce, and he had been a judge 97 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 1: and held office as a congressman and senator before running 98 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: for president. But he was perceived as kind of a 99 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: man of the people because he didn't come from old money. 100 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:08,160 Speaker 1: He first ran in eighteen twenty four, and though he 101 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 1: won the most votes in the popular vote, he didn't 102 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 1: have a majority, and John Quincy Adams ultimately became president 103 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: in the electoral college vote. Jackson believed that the outcome 104 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: had been the result of what he called a corrupt 105 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: bargain between Adams and Henry Clay, who had put his 106 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 1: support behind Adams after he was out of the running. 107 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 1: So Jackson approached the next election with a way more 108 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: aggressive plan, and as part of that plan, he had 109 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:40,039 Speaker 1: a well developed network of contacts that essentially formed a 110 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:43,919 Speaker 1: campaign staff. This marks the first time that a campaign 111 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: staff really existed in US politics. Prior to this, friends 112 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: might have supported a candidate by talking them up and 113 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 1: maybe helping out, but this one was actually organized. It 114 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: established the idea of having a campaign staff. In return 115 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: for this work, supporters were often rewarded with appointments to 116 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: various offices. The understanding was really that those people would 117 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: continue to support the newly formed Democratic Party through both 118 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 1: organizational efforts and money. This idea stemmed from the belief, 119 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: which kind of sounds good in theory that anyone should 120 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 1: be able to run for office, they should not have 121 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: to have like a lot of generational wealth to do it. 122 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: That's very much in line with Jackson's position as a 123 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: relative outsider to politics. When he ran for president, he 124 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 1: was known more for his military efforts than his brief 125 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: forays into congressional politics. But this also became mandatory. People 126 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 1: in government positions had their salaries assessed for the amount 127 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: they were expected to contribute, and that became a standard 128 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 1: operating procedure for both parties. Things escalated considerably in the 129 00:07:56,400 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 1: decade that followed Jackson's eighteen twenty eight election, so this 130 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:04,559 Speaker 1: idea of wage assessment was not a publicly discussed matter, 131 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: but people who moved in political circles certainly knew about it. 132 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 1: As early as eighteen thirty four, there was outcry about 133 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: the practice of government employees donating a quote regular and 134 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: proportionate rate of their pay, and we should put donating 135 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: in air quotes there as well. That specific quote about 136 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: regular and proportionate rate was in a report by Daniel Webster, 137 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: who was serving as a Senator for Massachusetts at the 138 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 1: time and who chaired the Senate Finance Committee. But Webster 139 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 1: acknowledged that while this was a practice, it was also 140 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 1: a new practice that kind of happened on the down low, 141 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 1: so he didn't have hard evidence to back up his 142 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: claims and really pursue the matter. Another similar accusation came 143 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: from John Barton Derby just a year later, but this 144 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 1: included his personal experience. Derby had served as Deputy surveyor 145 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: of customs in Boston and went on the record about 146 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:02,440 Speaker 1: having his salary assessed a five percent starting in eighteen thirty. 147 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: He wasn't appointed to that job for having been a 148 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 1: political supporter of Jackson or anybody else, but by that 149 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 1: point the financing initiative had really trickled down. People above 150 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 1: him had donated They needed to recoup some of that 151 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 1: money and help pay for future campaigns. While it was 152 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:25,439 Speaker 1: not on the record as such, Derby called this assessment attacks. 153 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 1: In this case, the money came back to the customs officers. 154 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: Derby believed that the assessing of underlings had been deemed 155 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: a no no by people even higher up in the 156 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: chain than his bosses, but he and his colleagues were 157 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 1: encouraged to donate the money on their own volition. In return, 158 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 1: they would receive a Democratic Party magazine. Yeah, so just 159 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 1: for clarity, someone had said, uh, we should not be 160 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 1: doing this. This is going to look really bad. Let's 161 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: give that money back to those guys. But let's ask 162 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 1: them to just give it to us now, which is 163 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: and we'll give them a pamphlet. Be fine. The Democratic 164 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 1: Finance Committee started to put pressure on the US Commissary 165 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: General in Philadelphia, Irvine Calendar, in the late eighteen thirties. 166 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 1: They wanted him to start collecting assessments from his employees 167 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 1: for the party, but Calendar was not willing to do it. 168 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 1: He believed that people should not have to pay anyone 169 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: anything as part of their suffrage rights, and that any 170 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 1: donations or contributions should be made because people wanted to 171 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 1: and believed in a party or candidate, and not through 172 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:34,200 Speaker 1: pressure or coercion. In eighteen thirty seven, Representative John Bell 173 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 1: of Tennessee tried to introduce a bill that was intended 174 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 1: to end the practice of wage assessments for political donation. 175 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 1: Bell wanted to end this forced contribution system because of 176 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 1: its potential to impact elections. He also wanted to end 177 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:54,239 Speaker 1: the practice of appointing people to government jobs in exchange 178 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 1: for their political support, and to similarly forbid anyone from 179 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 1: being dismissed from a position if they did not support 180 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: someone with the power to make decisions about their job. 181 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,679 Speaker 1: This was not a super popular bill. A February fourth, 182 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 1: eighteen thirty seven article in the Louisville Courier Journal mentioned 183 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:17,200 Speaker 1: quote a personal altercation that took place when Bell tried 184 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 1: to introduce this bill. Jacksonian Representative Leonard Jarvis of Maine 185 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: outright told Bell on the House floor that nothing was 186 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 1: ever going to come of this bill and that the 187 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: time would be better spent on other legislation. Of course, 188 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:33,840 Speaker 1: that legislation specifically was on something Jarvis wanted to introduce 189 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 1: in regard to naval service enlistment. It actually took three 190 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 1: years for Bell to get his bill to the House floor, 191 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: and at that point no one from the opposition defended 192 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 1: the practice of wage assessment. But they also weren't denying 193 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 1: that it happened. It was kind of like, if we 194 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 1: don't talk about it, this will just go away. And 195 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:57,319 Speaker 1: they were right, because when it finally got to vote, 196 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 1: this bill got little real attention and was aultimately rejected. 197 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 1: This whole thing sounds just so strange to me in 198 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 1: an era where like for many years I have been 199 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 1: paid and there's a statement specifically detailing all the things 200 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:18,320 Speaker 1: that have been deducted out of it and what they 201 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: are for, uh, bookkeeping a little loosey goosey. Sometimes we'll 202 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 1: talk more about that in a bit. So another bill 203 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:32,440 Speaker 1: was introduced on this issue in eighteen thirty nine, and 204 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:35,199 Speaker 1: this time it was in the Senate by John Crittenden, 205 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:37,840 Speaker 1: a Senator from Kentucky who was part of the Whig 206 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:43,079 Speaker 1: Party at the time. Crittenden's quote Bill to Prevent Interference 207 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: on the part of Officeholders under Government with Elections was 208 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: intended to limit any government office holder from doing anything 209 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 1: regarding an election except for voting. This sputtered. There was 210 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: a brief rally of support, but it really didn't gain 211 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 1: enough to fraction to pass. So we're going to talk 212 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:06,199 Speaker 1: about one result of all of this concern over wage 213 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: assessment for political campaigns in just a moment, But first 214 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:21,840 Speaker 1: we'll pause for a sponsor break with the discussion about 215 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 1: mandatory donating becoming more and more public. In eighteen thirty nine, 216 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:29,319 Speaker 1: there was a congressional investigation launch to look at exactly 217 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:33,719 Speaker 1: what was going on with campaign finance. But this investigation 218 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: had been catalyzed not by people complaining about assessments, but 219 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 1: because of a different issue of mishandling of funds. There 220 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 1: were concerns about the assessment of wages for what was 221 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 1: mandatory or at least heavily pressured donation, as well as 222 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:52,320 Speaker 1: other accusations of misuse of funds in offices where those 223 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:56,960 Speaker 1: assessments have been going on. So many that the resulting 224 00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: report even noted that it could not cover all these 225 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 1: accusations or issues and had to focus on just a 226 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 1: couple of things in the prefatory remarks section of the 227 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: Committee's rite up. After this investigation, at states quote, it 228 00:14:11,559 --> 00:14:14,840 Speaker 1: was most obvious, however, that the whole field of inquiry 229 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 1: presented by the resolution appointing Committee could not be properly 230 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 1: traversed to report the antimony thereon, either satisfactorily to the 231 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: country or to the Committee. During the short remainder of 232 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 1: the present Congress. This impressed upon the Committee at once 233 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 1: a resolution which has been rigidly adhered to, of limiting 234 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 1: the investigation to such branches of the subjects referred to 235 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: them as had most deeply excited public anxiety and alarm 236 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 1: and to undertake only so much of those as might 237 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: be thoroughly exhausted within the allotted period of the committee's researches. 238 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 1: Because this investigation involved multiple issues, sometimes it's a little 239 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 1: hard to track why both misuse of funds and these 240 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:01,520 Speaker 1: donation assessments were tied up together, So we are going 241 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: to try to pick it apart. Samuel Swartwout was one 242 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 1: of Andrew Jackson's most ardent supporters in Jackson's bid to 243 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 1: become president, and once Jackson was in the White House, 244 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 1: he appointed Swartwout to the position of customs collector in 245 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:19,840 Speaker 1: New York City. That was a very coveted position because 246 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 1: a lot of money passed through New York. And in 247 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 1: eighteen thirty nine, Swartwout lost a lot of money on 248 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 1: speculative investments in land and railroads. That part's not a crime, 249 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 1: but the money he used for those investments allegedly came 250 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 1: from the money he had been collecting from his employees 251 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: at the customs House. At least some of that money 252 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:46,480 Speaker 1: was supposed to have been given to the Democratic Finance Committee, 253 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: and some of it was Some of it was money 254 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 1: that was collected as customs fees and tolls, and there 255 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: were accusations that Swartwout had been skimming a lot. This 256 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:03,479 Speaker 1: is a little bit complex in nature because customs collectors 257 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 1: were allowed to allocate funds to themselves sort of. So 258 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 1: customs collectors at the time were allowed to retain money 259 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 1: from the sums collected as a way to cover personal 260 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 1: debt that was associated with the job. That may sound weird, 261 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 1: but here's what's up. That means that there were responsibilities 262 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 1: that came with the job that the head of a 263 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 1: custom's office could be considered personally responsible for. If there 264 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: were any issues, like if someone sued the custom's office, 265 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 1: it would have been on the head of the custom's office. 266 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 1: They would be the person named in the suit. This 267 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:40,600 Speaker 1: whole system was intended to keep things streamlined in terms 268 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 1: of litigation issues. If challenges to the custom's house came up, 269 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 1: the head of that custom's house could just handle it 270 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 1: without a bunch of bureaucracy. But then, of course, if 271 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:53,520 Speaker 1: there were judgments found against the custom's house, that was 272 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 1: also on them, and in that case they could make 273 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 1: the case to the treasury that they needed money to 274 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 1: cover the debt of a judgment and that would be issued, 275 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 1: but as a quickie workaround to that red tape, customs 276 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 1: officials were also just allowed to keep money in reserve 277 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: from the customs House coffers and Schwartwoud did note that 278 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,120 Speaker 1: he had hung on to two hundred twenty one thousand, 279 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 1: nine hundred seven dollars and thirty six cents of the 280 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: Treasury's money. The way that worked was that when he 281 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 1: left the job, all such retained funds had to be 282 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 1: handed back to the treasury, but Samuel Swartwaud did not 283 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:33,640 Speaker 1: give the money back. Thus the investigation, the committee heard 284 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:36,960 Speaker 1: testimony from two employees of the Customs House who had 285 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 1: paid a percentage of their income for political assessments. There 286 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 1: was Errant de Paster and David S. Lyon. The Paster 287 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:48,919 Speaker 1: testified that when he initially refused to pay the requested 288 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,679 Speaker 1: fifteen dollars, it was strongly suggested to him that he 289 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:56,160 Speaker 1: would lose his job if he did not. Lyon told 290 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: a similar story, noting that he had also seen other 291 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: employees threatened with being reported if they did not pay 292 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 1: what both witnesses referred to as the tax. A man 293 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 1: named Abraham Vanderpohl was called to testify about having been 294 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 1: one of the people who calculated what his fellow customs 295 00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:18,160 Speaker 1: employees paid. He had also been named by de Paster 296 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 1: as the person who suggested that de Paster's job would 297 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 1: be in jeopardy if he did not pay. Vanderpool refused 298 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: to answer most of the questions that were asked of him. 299 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:32,040 Speaker 1: The other witness mentioned in the committee's write up after 300 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: the investigation was John Becker, who worked for the Democratic Party, 301 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:38,920 Speaker 1: and he was outright hostile to the committee during questioning. 302 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 1: All of this was written up and published in a 303 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:48,000 Speaker 1: report titled The Devocations of Samuel Swarthout and Others. While 304 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:51,680 Speaker 1: this report included the accounts of assessments and clearly found 305 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 1: them problematic, the real focus was on Swerklout, and it 306 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:58,679 Speaker 1: stated that the committee's investigation had revealed that when the 307 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 1: Treasury finished all of its accounting, his defalcations amounted to 308 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 1: one million, two hundred and twenty five thousand, seven hundred 309 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: five dollars and sixty nine cents. Moreover, the testimony of 310 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: the Treasury Controller indicated that quote, the first misuse of 311 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 1: the public money by mister Swartweldt as collector appears to 312 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:24,800 Speaker 1: have commenced in eighteen thirty. The committee found that his 313 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:28,959 Speaker 1: acts were quote of a character to elude the vigilance 314 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 1: of the accounting officers of the Treasury for a series 315 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:36,159 Speaker 1: of years. Okay, more than a million dollars at this 316 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:39,639 Speaker 1: period in time is an awful lot of money, and 317 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 1: this report explains just how this kind of thing was possible. 318 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:47,119 Speaker 1: So the Customs House of New York, aside from the 319 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:50,119 Speaker 1: ability for the customs officer to keep money back for 320 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:54,920 Speaker 1: his own expenses, had a rather unique style of bookkeeping 321 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: that had been in place, according to the investigation since 322 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 1: seventeen ninety nine. It used quote numerous subordinate accounts by 323 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 1: way of making distinct exhibits of the expenditures made upon 324 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 1: distinct objects. But these expenditure accounts were quote balanced only 325 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 1: when the same charges are transferred to the quarterly account 326 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: of the collector. So it seems as though Swartwout was 327 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 1: taking advantage of this convoluted system of multiple accounts that 328 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:27,919 Speaker 1: did not really have regular reconciliation and was moving money 329 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:33,160 Speaker 1: around basically untracked because the Treasury Department wasn't monitoring those 330 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:36,440 Speaker 1: separate small accounts that were kind of under his jurisdiction 331 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:40,320 Speaker 1: and there were people who testified and indicated that they 332 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 1: didn't think there was any wrongdoing on Swartwout's part. For example, 333 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:48,639 Speaker 1: a customs auditor identified as mister Fleming was asked on 334 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 1: the investigation quote, do you or do you not believe 335 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:56,879 Speaker 1: from the examination you have made of set accounts that 336 00:20:57,119 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 1: said amount is not properly chargeable to mister Schwartwout as 337 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 1: a defalcation, but should have been set down as an 338 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:08,920 Speaker 1: error from which no money was realized by him. Mister 339 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:12,960 Speaker 1: Fleming responded that he believed the amount was purely an error. 340 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:17,359 Speaker 1: When Fleming's predecessor and his position, who had also worked 341 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:20,199 Speaker 1: with Swartwelk, was called to answer some similar questions, he 342 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:25,679 Speaker 1: backed up Fleming's answers, replying quote, mister Swartwout regularly entered 343 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:29,879 Speaker 1: all the tonnage, duties and money received therefore upon his 344 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:33,080 Speaker 1: cash book and other books, and accounted regularly for the 345 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:36,399 Speaker 1: same in his quarterly and other returns. I am certain 346 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:38,639 Speaker 1: of this, and I show you now in the book 347 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:41,959 Speaker 1: before the committee, the cash book and other books. So 348 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:45,919 Speaker 1: they were so entered and accounted for at the proper times. 349 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 1: It is not right to say mister Swartwout is a 350 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:52,359 Speaker 1: defaulter for any of these items, and I maintain and 351 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 1: show that they have been regularly accounted for to the 352 00:21:56,080 --> 00:22:00,879 Speaker 1: United States. So these officials from the Cussam's House have 353 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:05,320 Speaker 1: over the years been painted as either incompetent or as 354 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:07,920 Speaker 1: loyal to Swartwout, depending on the point of view of 355 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:12,399 Speaker 1: the person writing the account. Additional questioning, however, revealed that 356 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:15,480 Speaker 1: the various receipts that were used to claim need of 357 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:19,160 Speaker 1: funds on Swartwout's part were simply entries in his own 358 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:22,919 Speaker 1: accounting book, like writing down on a line item, I 359 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:26,240 Speaker 1: need money for this thing, and then that was all 360 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 1: you needed. It wasn't like today where you would get 361 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:33,360 Speaker 1: a printed receipt for a transaction. So unless anyone auditing 362 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:36,119 Speaker 1: the accounts followed up to see that every expense that 363 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:38,680 Speaker 1: a person had claimed had in fact been paid out, 364 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 1: it would have been very, very easy to record false transactions. 365 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 1: And there were definitely things that should have raised an eyebrow, 366 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:48,680 Speaker 1: like an item in the amount of eighty seven hundred 367 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:51,439 Speaker 1: and sixty nine dollars and fifty three cents that was 368 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 1: retained on his quarterly reports repeatedly as cash quote retained 369 00:22:56,600 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 1: for refunding merchants. This report found no fault with the 370 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:04,280 Speaker 1: US Treasury because by the time reports were submitted to 371 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:08,159 Speaker 1: the Treasury, everything always looked accounted for. In the words 372 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:10,639 Speaker 1: of the report quote, it was only on the books 373 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:13,679 Speaker 1: of the Customs House that it appears he concealed and 374 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:17,680 Speaker 1: suppressed the true cash balance in his hands. So all 375 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 1: of this is a clear example of a systemic failure, 376 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:26,240 Speaker 1: but it didn't address the issues of campaign finance their 377 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 1: interconnected problems, though, because it was through a political appointment 378 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 1: that swartwild got the job and was able to manipulate 379 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 1: treasury funds to his will, which also revealed how easy 380 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 1: it had been for workers to be strongly encouraged to 381 00:23:41,359 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 1: give a percentage of their income to the Democratic Party treasury. 382 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: None of the finances were being tracked because even when 383 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:53,200 Speaker 1: there were people in place to perform audits and monitor accounts, 384 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 1: they tended to disregard their duties and instead stick with 385 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 1: their political allegiances. Swartwout did eventually settle his debt with 386 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 1: the US government, a large chunk of it was found 387 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,880 Speaker 1: to have actually been embezzled by one of his assistants. 388 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:12,159 Speaker 1: By the time the dust had all settled, Swartwout was 389 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 1: only on the hook for the sum he had always 390 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:17,040 Speaker 1: stated as the amount that he held onto that was 391 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 1: just a little bit over two hundred and twenty thousand dollars. 392 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 1: He fled to London as all of this turmoil started. 393 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,440 Speaker 1: He only came back to the US in eighteen forty 394 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:29,640 Speaker 1: one once everything was settled and he was no longer 395 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 1: in danger of being prosecuted. So we're going to pause 396 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 1: to hear from the sponsors to keep stuff you missed 397 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:38,439 Speaker 1: in history class going, and when we come back, we 398 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:41,880 Speaker 1: will talk about the first real efforts a campaign finance 399 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:55,400 Speaker 1: reform in Congress. So even after that huge Customs House 400 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:59,679 Speaker 1: investigation revealed problems that were part of government appointments in 401 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:02,000 Speaker 1: the way that money could be squeezed out of government 402 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:06,639 Speaker 1: employees to pay for political campaigns, there wasn't any real 403 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:10,600 Speaker 1: movement in campaign finance reform for nearly thirty more years. 404 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 1: And that effort that came up finally was strictly to 405 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 1: prevent money from being taken from naval yard workers. That 406 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:21,480 Speaker 1: was the Naval Appropriation's Bill of eighteen sixty seven, which 407 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 1: had gone through committee the previous year before finally getting passed. 408 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: At the time, the portion of the bill about political 409 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 1: campaign contributions was pretty minimal, and it only stipulated that 410 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:36,480 Speaker 1: naval yard workers could not be solicited for donations by 411 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:41,639 Speaker 1: government workers or officers. It was another sixteen years before 412 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 1: the Civil Service Reform Act was passed in eighteen eighty three. 413 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:47,760 Speaker 1: It may have taken a lot longer had it not 414 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 1: been for the shooting of President James A. Garfield. Garfield's assassin, 415 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 1: Charles Gutteau, had been motivated by the belief that Garfield 416 00:25:56,640 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 1: had promised him a lucrative government appointment if he was elected. 417 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 1: Gueto thought that he had been instrumental in getting Garfield 418 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:07,639 Speaker 1: into the White House, although he really hadn't been the 419 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:11,199 Speaker 1: issue of anybody expecting a government job in exchange for 420 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 1: campaign support, which had just long been a source of debate. 421 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:19,680 Speaker 1: Suddenly that was central in the death of a sitting president. 422 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:22,200 Speaker 1: I don't know if I can't remember if we talked 423 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:25,440 Speaker 1: about this specific assassination in our live show about it. 424 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:28,640 Speaker 1: We did. Yeah, it's definitely in the book we were 425 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:32,880 Speaker 1: discussing in that live show from many, many many years ago. Yeah, 426 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:35,399 Speaker 1: that is Brian Young's book. I think it's called a 427 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:41,119 Speaker 1: Book of a children Presidential Assassination for children. Yeah, yeah, 428 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:44,680 Speaker 1: I think it's Children's Illustrated History of Presidential Assassinations or 429 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 1: something like that. Yeah, it's quite fun. And his child, Scout, 430 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 1: did many of the illustrations for it, which is pretty great. 431 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:55,280 Speaker 1: Scout is now an adult, which is amazing to me. Yeah. 432 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:57,320 Speaker 1: I think that was the first live show that we 433 00:26:57,359 --> 00:26:59,600 Speaker 1: ever did, which means it was an enormous number of 434 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 1: years ago. Now, it sure was. Senator George Hunt Pendleton 435 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:07,480 Speaker 1: of Ohio was the architect of the act that addressed 436 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:10,720 Speaker 1: this problem, and while it was introduced as an act 437 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:13,920 Speaker 1: to regulate and improve the civil service of the United States, 438 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 1: it was just called the Pendleton Act. The main thrust 439 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:20,000 Speaker 1: of its reform was that federal government jobs had to 440 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:23,400 Speaker 1: be given based on merit and in some cases exams. 441 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:28,560 Speaker 1: There are positions in the Act provided for as presidential appointments, 442 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 1: but they are strictly limited in the language of the 443 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:35,040 Speaker 1: legislative document as quote, the President is authorized to appoint 444 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:37,399 Speaker 1: by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, 445 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:40,320 Speaker 1: three persons, not more than two of whom shall be 446 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:44,200 Speaker 1: adherents of the same party as Civil Service Commissioners, and 447 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 1: said three commissioners shall constitute the United States Civil Service commission. 448 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:52,439 Speaker 1: Said commissioners shall hold no other official place under the 449 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:56,919 Speaker 1: United States. But the section pertaining to campaign finance is 450 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: Section fourteen, which reads Section fourteen that no officer, clerk, 451 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: or other person in the service of the United States 452 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 1: shall directly or indirectly give or hand over to any 453 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 1: other officer, clerk, or person in the service of the 454 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 1: United States, or to any Senator or member of the 455 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:18,920 Speaker 1: House of Representatives or territorial delegate, any money or other 456 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 1: valuable thing, on account of, or to be applied to 457 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:27,719 Speaker 1: the promotion of any political object, whatever. The next significant 458 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:31,520 Speaker 1: moment in campaign finance was the election of William McKinley 459 00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 1: to the presidency. But the person we need to talk 460 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:38,959 Speaker 1: about is Marcus Hannah, an Ohio native born in eighteen 461 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 1: thirty seven who became one of Cleveland's most prominent residents 462 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 1: and who ran McKinley's campaign, drumming up a massive sixteen 463 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:52,600 Speaker 1: million dollars in support. In that campaign, Hannah made a 464 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:56,280 Speaker 1: lot of promises to get support and votes, and part 465 00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 1: of that was courting donations from large businesses with the 466 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 1: promise that a McKinley administration would be favorable to big business. 467 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:08,719 Speaker 1: Hannah saw that money and power were tightly entwined, and 468 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 1: is often famously quoted as saying, quote, there are two 469 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 1: things that are important in politics. The first is money, 470 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 1: and I can't remember what the second one is. McKinley's 471 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:24,360 Speaker 1: campaign garnered a lot of accusations of corruption and specifically bribery, 472 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 1: but it wasn't only his campaign. William Jennings Bryan, who 473 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:33,320 Speaker 1: ran against McKinley, had similar accusations lobbed at his campaign. 474 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:37,520 Speaker 1: As a consequence, campaigns and their finances got a lot 475 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:41,240 Speaker 1: of public scrutiny. Miss is often cited as the first 476 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:44,479 Speaker 1: time there was a real call for campaign finance reform 477 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 1: that actually came from the general public and not from 478 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:52,040 Speaker 1: within the government. Oh, there's another scandal on the horizon 479 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 1: and a president calling for reform. But that is all 480 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:57,880 Speaker 1: going to be in Part two, because this is all 481 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:01,800 Speaker 1: I can take of campaign finance. Shan, Yes, today, do 482 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:04,520 Speaker 1: you have listener mail that is less upsetting to you? 483 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:11,520 Speaker 1: I do great. I have two quick ones. They are 484 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 1: both about Frank Duvinix, so I figure we can put 485 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:16,400 Speaker 1: them together because they're both short. The first one is 486 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:18,760 Speaker 1: from our listener Andrew, who says, I just wanted to 487 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:20,920 Speaker 1: drop you a quick note and say how delightful it 488 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:23,200 Speaker 1: was to hear about how nice of a guy Frank 489 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:26,680 Speaker 1: Duvinic was, with no apparent dark sides or caveats. As 490 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:28,760 Speaker 1: is so often the case with people you profile on 491 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:32,520 Speaker 1: the podcast, who did good things also have no disclaimer 492 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:35,240 Speaker 1: required this time, cheers have been enjoying stuff you missed 493 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:37,880 Speaker 1: in history class since twenty sixteen. I think I'm not 494 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: going for my PhD. I'm just letting your Saturday classics 495 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 1: catch me up on old episodes. And there is a 496 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:50,800 Speaker 1: miniature docs in picture that is ridiculous and adorable and 497 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:54,600 Speaker 1: the most relaxed kitty in the world, which I needed, 498 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:58,360 Speaker 1: you know, sometimes see picture of a real relaxed kitty. Yeah, 499 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:02,720 Speaker 1: so cute. I love the pet pictures. Thank you to 500 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 1: all of you who send us pet pictures. This docson 501 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:08,440 Speaker 1: looks a little I'm sure it is just catching an 502 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 1: animal in the moment, but it's out in this beautiful 503 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:13,320 Speaker 1: nature scene and it looks a little like but can 504 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:16,880 Speaker 1: we go home where it's warm. I'm just projecting that 505 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:19,240 Speaker 1: that docson may love being out in the in the weather, 506 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:24,600 Speaker 1: so thank you for that email, Andrew. The other one, 507 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 1: also about Frank Duvinek, is a correction. This is from 508 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:31,480 Speaker 1: our listener Julia, who writes, I'm excited to finally have 509 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:33,600 Speaker 1: a reason to write in. I'm an art teacher living 510 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:36,640 Speaker 1: in Cincinnati and I've listened to every episode before we 511 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:38,880 Speaker 1: get into your letter. Thank you for being an educator. 512 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:42,600 Speaker 1: Julia writes, I have a small correction on your behind 513 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:46,160 Speaker 1: the Scenes Mini's Frank Lizzian Noodle's episode. You won't find 514 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 1: Frank Duvinac's painting The Cobbler's Apprentice at the Cincinnati Art Museum. 515 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:52,400 Speaker 1: It is actually at the Taft Museum of Art, which 516 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:55,520 Speaker 1: is also located in Cincinnati. I'd also like to add 517 00:31:55,560 --> 00:31:58,200 Speaker 1: a fun fact you didn't mention about the painting. There 518 00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:01,480 Speaker 1: is a large mural inspired by The Cobbler's Apprentice where 519 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 1: the cigar is replaced by a baseball bat. It's located downtown, 520 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:07,320 Speaker 1: not too far from the Red Stadium and gives a 521 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:10,200 Speaker 1: nod to the history of Cincinnati having the first professional 522 00:32:10,280 --> 00:32:15,000 Speaker 1: American baseball team. And then Julia sent a picture of 523 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:19,120 Speaker 1: the mural. I didn't include it on purpose. Because I 524 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:21,560 Speaker 1: didn't know how to work it in Oh yeah. And 525 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: also I don't know why I don't like that mirror. 526 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:26,960 Speaker 1: Oh no, But no disrespect to the person that sent it. 527 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 1: And I'm glad Julia pointed it out because it is, 528 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:32,000 Speaker 1: you know, part it's tied to that history of Frank 529 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:35,160 Speaker 1: Duvenek and Cincinnati. M M. I don't know what bugs 530 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 1: me about it. I can't quite get my brain around it. 531 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:40,240 Speaker 1: This is literally my thing to work on, nobody else's. 532 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:43,720 Speaker 1: But I do want to thank Julia for making that correction. 533 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:47,600 Speaker 1: Here's the thing, people that haven't visited Cincinnati might not 534 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:50,080 Speaker 1: know a lot of good art in that city. So 535 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:54,040 Speaker 1: I'm glad that Julia mentioned that there are two museums 536 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:56,520 Speaker 1: you can go to that we'll both have great things 537 00:32:56,520 --> 00:33:00,200 Speaker 1: to look at. And I have really, really enjoyed times 538 00:33:00,200 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 1: when I have gone to Cincinnati specifically to visit museums. Listen, 539 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 1: they may have had Star Wars costumes. I may have 540 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,280 Speaker 1: made a trek there when I was following those costumes 541 00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 1: around the country, and then I was blown away because 542 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:13,640 Speaker 1: the rest of the museum was great too. So thank 543 00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:16,200 Speaker 1: you to Julia. Yeah, I was just gonna say if 544 00:33:16,200 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 1: the only old episodes of the show that you want 545 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:22,960 Speaker 1: to listen to or Saturday classics, totally fine, go for it. 546 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: If you want to skip those because you heard them already, 547 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:32,520 Speaker 1: also fine, Yes, indeed, I'm I think we're both big 548 00:33:32,560 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 1: proponents of like, engage with your entertainment however works for you. Yeah, yeah, 549 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:43,000 Speaker 1: no rules here. Are not enjoying a thing, you can 550 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:45,880 Speaker 1: just skip it. Look, if it gives you joy to 551 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:48,200 Speaker 1: listen to us at three time speed and mock our 552 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 1: crazy voices that squeak at that point, great, yeah, wherever 553 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:56,800 Speaker 1: joy comes from at this point. If you would like 554 00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:59,160 Speaker 1: to email us, you could do so at History podcast 555 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:03,440 Speaker 1: at iHeartRadio. You can also find us on social media 556 00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:07,160 Speaker 1: as missed in History And if you haven't subscribed and 557 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:09,799 Speaker 1: you want to, because that's the way listening works best 558 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 1: for you, you can do that on the iHeartRadio app or 559 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:20,160 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Stuff you Missed 560 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:23,319 Speaker 1: in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. For more 561 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:27,719 Speaker 1: podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 562 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:29,720 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.