At various points in history, Kentucky's politics and government have
been rocked by scandal, and each episode defined the era in which it
happened. In 1826, Governor Desha pardoned his own son for murder. In a
horrific crime, Governor Goebel was assassinated in 1900. James
Wilkinson was branded a traitor against Kentucky and the nation. Honest
Dick Tate ran away with massive amounts of money from the state
treasury. In modern times, Operation BOPTROT resulted in perhaps the
biggest scandal in the state. Authors Robert Schrage and John Schaaf
offer a fascinating account of Kentucky's history and its many unique
and scandalous characters.