William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne Quotes

Many government officials have very high moral standards at the beginning of their duties, but after a while some officials sway from the right path and easily fall into the temptation of bribery and fraud.

Corruption requires looking into someone's soul and making judgments about their intent.

What, shall one of us, That struck for the foremost man of all this world But for supporting robbers--shall we now Contaminate our fingers with base bribes, And sell the mighty space of our large honors For so much trash as may be grasped thus?

Conscience and cowardice are really the same things, Basil. Conscience is the trade-name of the firm. That is all.

I'm for everyone having the opportunity to accept a $150,000 bribe.

As Members of Congress, we should not be using public office for private gain.

Every man has his price, or a guy like me couldn't exist.

An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought.

All those men have their price.

Corruption is something you face all the time. Avoid it.

His lack of education is more than compensated for by his keenly developed moral bankruptcy.

An Englishman thinks he is moral when he is only uncomfortable.

A thief is more moral than a congressman; when a thief steals your money, he doesn't demand you thank him.

And you shall take no bribe; for the bribe blinds the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous:

I didn’t want you to recommend anyone for the place who I cannot implicitly rely upon to refuse a $10 bill when an Italian offers it to him, as will happen almost every day.

He who thinks that anything can be accomplished with money will himself likely to do anything for money.

All a man can betray is his conscience.

Do not take bribes, for they blind the clear-eyed and upset the pleas of the just.

Resist the temptation to exploit power for personal or group interests.

Keep your hands clean and pure from the infamous vice of corruption, a vice so infamous that it degrades even the other vices that may accompany it.

The origin of corruption in politics is surely in the thought that you are the bearer of ultimate virtue.

A perception of a conflict of interest is jsut as bad as a conflict of interest,

There can be no compromise regarding corruption.

Everybody's always going to have some self-interest. When it passes a certain point, that's when it become corruption.

Everybody is grappling with their own moral compass, and that needle, like any needle, can't just stick. It's always floating a little bit, and depending on where you're standing, it's hard to read.