ABSTRACT
On Capitol Hill, the apple remains a symbol of the extraordinary power that resides in the lawmakers. That power brings temptations—monetary sexual, professional. Notions of corruption have changed over time and have expanded well beyond simple bribe-taking, land speculation, and violence. Modern views of propriety demand much more of today's Congress than simply keeping lawmakers' hands out of the till. Sexual scandals, for example, have occupied center stage for a good part of the late twentieth century, although they were traditionally considered off-limits by the media until recently. Most lawmakers come to Congress to make a difference—liberals and conservatives, Democrats, Republicans, and independents. Many served on school boards, county councils, and state legislatures, but now they find themselves in the major leagues. The tightening of ethics rules put congressional leaders in the position of removing the apples and the serpent, in case members of their flock proved unequal to the task of resisting temptation.
