Gallup: 52% of Americans Believe Most Members of Congress Are Corrupt

By CNSNews.com Staff | September 28, 2015 | 2:22 PM EDT

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

(CNSNews.com) - Fifty-two percent of Americans believe that most members of the U.S. Congress are corrupt and 32 percent believe the member who represents them is corrupt,according to a Gallup survey released today.

In a similar Gallup survey released nine days ago, 75 percent of Americans said they believe corruption is widespread throughout government in the United States.

From Sept. 9-13, Gallup asked 1,025 U.S.-resident adults (aged 18 or older) this question: “Would you say that most members of Congress are corrupt?”

Fifty-two percent said, yes. Only 42 percent said that they did not believe most members of Congress are corrupt.

When Gallup asked respondents if they would say their member of Congress is corrupt, 32 percent said yes, and 59 percent said no they would not say that.

Gallup also asked: "Would you say that most members of Congress are focused on the needs of special interests, or focused on the needs of constituents in your/their district?”

Sixty-nine percent said most members of Congress are focused on the needs of special interests, while only 25 percent said they are focused on the needs of their constituents.

Forty-seven percent said their own member of Congress was focused on the needs of special interests. Only 43 percent said their own member was focused on the needs of their district.

Seventy-nine percent of the Americans surveyed told Gallup they believe that members of Congress are generally out of touch with average Americans. Only 20 percent said they believe most members of Congress are generally in touch with average Americans.

Forty-eight percent said their own member of Congress is generally out of touch with average Americans. Only 47 percent said their own member is generally in touch with average Americans.

On Sept. 19, Gallup released the results of a different survey which questioned about 1,000 U.S. residents 15 or older in each year from 2008 through 2014. In that survey, Gallup asked: “Is corruption widespread throughout government in this country, or not?”

In the United States, 75 percent said corruption is widespread in government.

People in France (64 percent), Japan (55 percent), the United Kingdom (46 percent), and Germany (38 percent) were less likely than Americans to say that corruption was widespread in government in their country.

See Gallup's analysis of its survey on the perception of corruption in governement around the world by clicking here.

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