This has to stop. Ask candidates how tough they're willing to get on corruption.
A good starting point for the next administration is to offer an amnesty on criminal prosecution to government employees who report anything of value they received outside their employment during the previous administration. If it's reported, they're safe from criminal prosecution. Anything that's not reported that surfaces later, bribery charges.
Then they have to pay it back to the government. Tangible objects (watches, jewelry) have to be turned in to a forfeiture office. Travel and entertainment are charged at a fixed rate (probably the max value the Government will pay for meals and travel to senior executives, so a trip on a private jet only means a first class fare). Allow easy repayments, with interest at the IRS late payment rate.
A good starting point for the next administration is to offer an amnesty on criminal prosecution to government employees who report anything of value they received outside their employment during the previous administration. If it's reported, they're safe from criminal prosecution. Anything that's not reported that surfaces later, bribery charges.
Then they have to pay it back to the government. Tangible objects (watches, jewelry) have to be turned in to a forfeiture office. Travel and entertainment are charged at a fixed rate (probably the max value the Government will pay for meals and travel to senior executives, so a trip on a private jet only means a first class fare). Allow easy repayments, with interest at the IRS late payment rate.
That's about the right level of pressure.