FLOSSI AND THE DOG(E)

During the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant (1869–1877), several scandals and instances of corruption tarnished his administration. Some of the most notable examples include:
The Star Route Scandal (1870s)

The Star Route scandal involved the government overcharging for mail contracts. Contractors involved in delivering mail over difficult, often remote routes conspired to inflate the cost of their contracts and engage in fraudulent billing. While Grant was not directly involved, members of his administration were implicated, and the scandal led to several convictions. The Star Route scandal reflected widespread corruption in government contracting and called for reform.

The Belknap Impeachment Scandal (1876)

William W. Belknap, Grant's Secretary of War, was involved in a scandal that led to his impeachment. Belknap was accused of taking bribes from Indian trading post operators in exchange for granting them lucrative contracts to trade with Native American reservations. When the scandal broke, Belknap resigned in disgrace in 1876, but the House of Representatives still impeached him. The Senate acquitted him despite the strong evidence of corruption.

During Andrew Jackson’s presidency (1829–1837), corruption and cronyism were significant concerns, though they often stemmed from his patronage system rather than outright financial fraud. Here are some of the most notable examples:

The "Indian Removal" and Land Speculation

The Indian Removal Act (1830), one of Jackson’s most controversial policies, forced Native American tribes to cede their lands and relocate westward. While Jackson justified this as a means to open land for white settlers, it benefited land speculators, including some of Jackson’s closest allies.

Certain government officials, land companies, and private investors took advantage of the forced removal by acquiring valuable lands at low prices before selling them at inflated rates. While Jackson himself did not directly profit, his policies enabled a network of corruption around Native American land dispossession.

The Post Office Scandal

Under Jackson, the U.S. Postal Service was rife with corruption. His Postmaster General, Amos Kendall, used his position to reward political allies with lucrative postal contracts. The Postal Service was one of the largest federal agencies at the time, and the contracts were highly lucrative. The widespread patronage system led to fraud and inefficiency in mail delivery.