7At 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.