Political scandal is when the actions of politicians are reported as violations of societal norms or values. It can occur at the individual, party, or institution level, but this Special Section focuses on cases of political corruption. It is widely believed that corruption tarnishes the image of public institutions and hurts citizens. For example, the robber barons of the late-19th century took bribes and warped government policies for their private gain; public education, health care, and infrastructure suffered as a result. In modern times, the Panama and Paradise papers reveal that government officials are often scheming for personal financial gain.
In addition to revealing corrupt practices, political scandals also provide voters with useful information about politician types and their competences. Voters are sensitive to signals about a politician’s competence, and they are even more sensitive to the perception that a politician’s claimed values (like honesty, trustworthiness, caring about voters, etc.) are bogus. Corruption incidents can thus lead to a change in voting behavior.
Whether the scandal is caused by greed and lust for power, a misplaced sense of loyalty or trust, or just naivete and ignorance, the consequences can be severe. In some instances, a scandal can bring down the entire administration. In other cases, a politician can survive scandal unscathed. A number of factors can influence when a scandal is reported, from notoriety to the level of seriousness of the offending action or circumstance. Moreover, the way in which scandal is framed and mediated by journalists can also influence its impact on voter behavior.