Halls of Shame & Honor
The individuals presented in these Halls cannot represent the best or the worst. There is no objective metric to make that determination. These individuals are representatives of paths taken, for good or for ill. Let the noble actions of those in the Hall of Honor inspire us to act similarly, and let the corrupt actions taken by those in the Hall of Shame serve as cautionary tales.
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Hall of Shame
Inducted in 2021
"Boss" Tweed
Edwin Edwards
G.W. Plunkitt
Richard Nixon
Albert Fall
Inducted in 2022
Oakes Ames
Buddy Cianci
Jimmy Walker
Spiro Agnew
Samuel Swartwout
Inducted in 2023
Rod Blagojevich
Ray Nagin
James Traficant Jr
Sheldon Silver
George Santos
Inducted in 2024
William Lorimer
Martin Manton
Randall Cunningham
Richard Crocker
Tom Pendergast
Inducted in 2025
1868 New York State Legislature
Jack Abramoff
Richard Connolly
William Jefferson
Harrison A. “Pete” Williams Jr.
Hall of HONOR
Inducted in 2021
Ida Tarbell
Peter Eigen
Thomas Nast
Preet Bharara
Inducted in 2022
Mo Ibrahim
Robert Caro
Jon Stewart
Khadija Ismayilova
Daniel Elsberg
Inducted in 2023
John W. Dean
Carrie Chapman Catt
G. Robert Blakey
Andy Borowitz
Inducted in 2024
Alexei Navalny
Bob Woodward
Jane Addams
Carl Bernstein
Maria Ressa
Inducted in 2025
Lincoln Steffens
Clarence Lexow
OpenSecrets
Patrick Fitzgerald
Daphne Galizia
The Nellie Bly Wing of the Hall of Honor
The Nellie Bly Award for Investigative Reporting recognizes the work of those who dedicate their lives to informing, and thus empowering, the public. While Bly was known for many accomplishments, as an Albany-based institution, this award was inspired by Bly’s journey to Albany in 1888 when she went undercover to expose widespread corruption in New York State government. By posing as a lobbyist, she was able to demonstrate that it was possible to “purchase” the state legislature to pass or kill any bill (for $1,250). Rather than pay the sum, Bly returned to her paper, Pulitzer’s New York World, to inform the public about her experience.
Inducted in 2017 2018 2019 2022 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Susanne Craig (2017)
Jim Heaney (2019)
Jane Mayer (2020)
Alex Gibney (2021)
Jerry Mitchell (2022)
Anna Wolfe (2023)
ProPublica (2024)
Glenn Kessler (2025)
Suggestions?
Who do you believe belongs in the Hall of Shame or the Hall of Honor?
Nominations for the Hall of Shame
- Corruption by a U.S. citizen or citizens.
- Corruption is defined as “the abuse of entrusted political power for private gain.”
- Corruption is substantiated by conviction and/or resignation combined (in most cases) with significant historical perspective.
- The corrupt acts are considered by the Board of Trustees to be substantial and/or instructive.
Nominations for the Hall of Honor
- A documented and substantial record of fighting corruption.
- Fighting corruption has been a centerpiece of the individual’s life work.