I have continued to identify the double-whammy of Reagan and Gingrich as the beginning of the end of the Republican party as an entity. Yes, Nixon should take a good deal of blame, too, but the party - if reluctantly - took steps to respond to his excesses. Since then, the party has never held its leadership to account, and that is the very source of corruption.
iran-Contra
That was my first exposure to GOP corruption.
