In the annals of corruption in America, 2014 is off to an explosive start. Federal officials are investigating whether New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) used Hurricane Sandy relief funds to produce tourism ads starring his family while the Hoboken mayor accused him of threatening to withhold disaster relief money from her city. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has been convicted by a federal jury of accepting bribes to rebuild a city reeling from Hurricane Katrina. While these scandals in cities historically rife with backroom deals might shrink in comparison to the global spectacle of the Olympic games, they all pose a unique 21st century challenge. They are examples of corruption in response to extreme weather, and such instances are piling up.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=215925