Full Financial Disclosure

Back in the old days, when politicians still felt obliged to reveal their finances...

October 1952: Mike Murphy, 12-year-old candidate for secretary of the student body at Madison high school in Phoenix, AZ, felt it would be the honest thing to do to release a full financial statement. He revealed that he earned a dollar a week allowance, and a dollar for every gopher he caught in the yard. Gophers from neighbors' yards didn't count. He won the election.

Kansas City Times - Oct 13, 1952

Books Selected and endorsed for Pure Weirdness by Your WU Team

Who We Are
Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Alex - Wed Sep 13, 2017
Category: Politics | 1950s

Comments

So if he gets fined out of his allowance, can't catch gophers, and never got a campaign contribution, where did he the money for printing the cards come from?

Posted by Phideaux on 09/13/17 at 12:16 PM

I was paid a penny for each slug I dispatched in the side yard with a weeding tool (slug sticker). Some evenings I made close to a buck!

Posted by Muddyvalley on 09/13/17 at 01:24 PM

I wonder if he had a little dog?

Posted by KDP on 09/13/17 at 01:48 PM

I think the kid was referencing allegations against Nixon for him having a slush fund when we was trying to become vice president with Eisenhower. Nixon dispelled it with his Checkers speech. No reports as to if the kid had a dog though, KDP.

Posted by Fluffy Bunny Slippers on 09/14/17 at 07:25 PM

Commenting is not available in this channel entry.