MISSOURI WATCH: WHEN GOOD FOLKS TURN BAD

Is it inevitable consequence or accidental happenstance that occasionally triggers the tragic downfall of some of Missouri's most powerful, prestigious public servants?

The transmogrification of a handful of our state's successful officeholders from power pinnacles to penal prisoners should give thoughtful citizens pause, although to date that has been accorded a lifespan no longer than the interval between the last note of the national anthem and the charging entrance of the Mizzou football team onto Faurot Stadium.

Why worry, somber citizens will ask, about a few rotten apples who were stupid enough to be caught when unlawfulness in politics is as inevitable as mosquitoes in summer and ice covered highways in winter. With complete confidence these citizens proclaim that the Dick Rabbitts, Bill Websters and Bob Griffins will always fall from grace because the virus that infects politics will always make its appearance in the centers of power in this and every state. This, it is proclaimed, is the inevitable consequence of human frailty, indifferent arrogance and the weakness of political flesh.

Is this true? Will we always witness the triumphant rise and the tragic downfall of men and women (remember poor Judi Moriarty?) who have become, deliberately or innocently, infected with the inevitably terminal virus of callous, careless ethical behavior? And if this is as inevitable as so many believe, do we witness these tragedies without remorse, with no thought of the system that on occasion seems to foster such behavior? If resignations in disgrace, as the least punishment, or prison terms, as the worst, are the inevitable result of even a small number, should not inquiry be made whether they are part of an unnatural phenomenon or the victims of a system that produces law-breakers like a Xerox machine produces copies?

It is neither logical nor feasible to assign pejorative traits to any of Missouri's fallen heroes who once were unblemished and untainted. Those I have known were once honestly motivated to the cause of better government, advancement of the common welfare and the solution of challenging problems of governance. None intentionally chose a path certain to lead them to a destination ending in disgrace, humiliation, tragedy.

It is not trite nor flippant to observe that power corrupts, which it can and does on occasion, but this is an incomplete observation, identifying nothing but the presence of competitive forces that are seen as salutary in other fields but which are viewed with dark suspicion, in politics. It is more accurate to say that power may corrupt, for we have known just as many exceptional public servants who shunned every form of corruption, even if they might have been tempted to do otherwise. I can think of numerous politicians who never abused their muscle for private gain in the halls of government. Former senator Emory Melton is but one example of rigorous righteousness, uncorrupted by any hint of aggrandizement. The list is endless: Phil Donnelly, Forrest Donnell, Ted McNeal, Clifford Jones, Jim Spainhower, Elwood Thomas, George Lehr ... the list goes on and on, for Missourians have had far more dedicated public servants than they realize, perhaps even more than the absence of public recognition suggests.

Is there a connection between seeking or achieving higher office and inevitable corruption? When Dick Rabbitt was elected Speaker of the Missouri House, was he seeking this powerful position because he later intended to violate his trust? Probably not. When Bill Webster appeared on his way to the executive office, was he anxious to become Governor to change government or enjoy the perks of office? The answer, obviously, is that he believed wholeheartedly in his ability to make needed changes in how Jefferson City was managed. Did Bob Griffin remain House Speaker for 15 years for a $5,000 bribe? Of course not. Judi Moriarty messed with candidate filing because she thought it was one of the perks of political office.

The reasoning offered by the guilty Follows a familiar pattern utilizing a familiar logic: I have paid my dues and earned my power and because others have used it for their betterment, it is my perfect right to use it, or abuse it, for my personal gain. Such logic is enhanced by records of previous achievement. Bill Webster pursued what he viewed as the public welfare as Attorney General; Bob Griffin helped in the passage of scores of laws that benefited millions of Missourians. Both men, and those who worked with them, compiled splendid records, only to see them destroyed by acts that undoubtedly were not viewed, at least initially, as serious infractions.

The problem with such infractions, whether viewed as major or insignificant, is that they confirm an unwarranted suspicion among those being governed. If all public servants are viewed suspiciously, then government is viewed in the same manner. It is difficult for John Q. Public to separate forms, to recognize the difference between systems of governance and those momentarily occupying their offices. But government is independent of politicians for it has existed in our state for 176 years while the guaranteed tenure of any politician is at most four years.

The answer to corruption by those temporarily running our government is relatively simple: create an entity with sufficient power to ferret it out. The answer to a lack of ethics is the creation of high ethical standards and expectations and sufficient power to enforce such rules. Missouri has no shortage of trained, competent individuals who could carry out such an assignment, while restoring the public's confidence in Jefferson City to act responsibly and ethically. As politically unpopular as this proposal might be, it is the only realistic response to scandals that have undermined the democratic process and made Missourians skeptical of a government that needs their confidence to function and survive.

~Jack Stapleton of Kennett is the editor of Missouri News and Editorial Service.