n's Secretary of State by reason of what he declares to be his understanding of previous admin istrations' policy and in the name of tracking down immoral press leaks about American military operations in Vietnam (Kissinger 252-3).
In the years following Nixon's resignation, ethics in gov ernment at the federal level has remained problematic, although scandals by and large have not risen (sunk) to the Watergate level. Writing in 1977, about one year into the Carter admini stration, Anthony Lewis alludes to "Richard Nixon's . . . White House horrors" (17) in describing a probe of Bert Lance, Car ter's Budget Director, for self-enriching and suspect banking practices. Lewis cites "what Bert Lance has not done [compared to Watergate players]. . . . . He has not conspired to break into the headquarters of the opposition party, or tried afterward to keep the F.B.I. from investigating" (Lewis 17).
Writing in 1987, Perry (556-7) cites accusations that the Veterans Administration during Reagan's presidency shredded documents of mishandled claims relating to radiation exposure of
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