Winter-Berger, Robert N. The Washington Pay-Off: An Insider's View of
Corruption in Government. New York: Dell Publishing, 1972. 336 pages.
Robert Winter-Berger was a Washington lobbyist from 1964-1969, and
he got out just in time. The next year his friend Nathan Voloshen, who had
underworld connections and was a political fixer for House Speaker John W.
McCormack, was indicted along with McCormack's aide Martin Sweig. McCormack
faked ignorance and was allowed to resign quietly, while Winter-Berger was
mentioned in the press. He had spent five years watching McCormack, Sweig,
Voloshen, and many others pass around envelopes filled with cash in exchange
for political favors; the indictments reflected only the tip of the iceberg.
During those five years, Winter-Berger took notes and was in the habit of
saving every scrap of evidence. This name-intensive book is the result.
If bribes, double-dealing, kickbacks, blackmail, and corrupt judges
sound like grist for Hollywood, imagine the same thing happening in Capitol
Hill offices, day in and day out. Once while Winter-Berger is sitting in
McCormack's office, Lyndon Johnson storms in, alternately cursing and
crying over his Bobby Baker problems. After a few minutes of this, Johnson
finally notices Winter-Berger, and asks McCormack, "Is he all right?" "Yes,
he's a close friend of Nat's," replies McCormack. LBJ then gets an idea --
he tells Winter-Berger to take a message to Nat for delivery to Bobby Baker,
offering Baker a million dollars to take the rap and keep his mouth shut.
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