Remember good ol' Watergate? In the 1970's, President Nixon and many top advisers where caught up in a major scandal. This led to Mr. Nixon's resignation in 1974. His administration got caught trying to get information from the Democratic National Committee HQ via a botched burglary. They tried to cover up the whole thing and any involvement in it, but they were exposed for their abuses of authority and malfeasance in office.
This was revealed after 5 burglars were caught at the HQ on July 17th 1972. While investigating this crime, it was discovered that these men were involved either directly or indirectly with Mr. Nixon's attempts to get re-elected. They were trying to steal information for Mr. Nixon and his Committee for Re-Election and got caught red-handed. The president was exposed to have been secretly recording conversations, that in the end proved his involvement in this conspiracy.
As a result he was forced to resign. Congress reigned back Presidential powers. The Freedom of Information Act was strengthened. For the pre-internet public, this was a shocking moment: for the first time they became aware of how corrupt our leaders were becoming and to what lengths they would go to stay in power. But, they also saw that everyone could be accountable to the law...even our President.
We thought we would never seen an administration act so recklessly again. You would think that in the information age with the endless ways to detail and record every moment, our leaders would think twice.
After Monica? After ENRON? After WMDs? After IRAQ? After PLame? After Fast and Furious? After Columbia Secret Service Prostitute Scandal? After the Financial Meltdown?
They have not learned a thing. It is happening all over again, not much different from before....