“Everyone thinks politicians are corrupt, except the ones they vote for” (or “Every politician is corrupt except mine” or “Every Congressman is corrupt except mine”) is a statement that shows a distrust of politics. The speaker, however, holds out hope that the politician he (or she) voted for might be the exception to the general rule.
 
The statement has been popular since at least 2006 and has not been attributed to any one author.
 
     
Google Books
Total Insecurity:
The myth of American omnipotence
By Carol Brightman
London: Verso
2004
Pg. 14:
Politicians are “corrupt” except during an election year, when the candidate of the moment is not.
   
St. Petersburg (FL) Times Online—The Buzz
At 5:52 PM, May 18, 2006, Campaign Manager said…
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The state candidates with the most to gain from the federal anti-Republican trend are probably Alex Sink and Skip Campbell. Because they are contesting open seats, voters can express their unease with one party rule without the “every politician is corrupt except mine” issue being a factor.
   
Media Matters for America
Media overstated amount of oil that ANWR drilling could produce
May 30, 2006 11:50 am ET
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COMMENTS
by bodhizapha_7 (May 31, 2006 6:41 pm ET)   
Let’s start by changing a basic American belief, “All politicians are corrupt…..except for mine.”
   
Democratic Strategist
This Guy’s Weighing In on the Middle Class
by Scott Winship
Posted by on September 13, 2006 03:18 AM
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Politicians are corrupt, except for mine.
 
TechChris.com
August 3, 2007
Why New Orleans voters keep re-electing corrupt politicians
I have often said that the corruption here will continue because everybody down here believes that all politicians are corrupt EXCEPT the guy they voted for.
     
Democratic Underground
KharmaTrain
Fri Mar-14-08 07:09 PM
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Also…while the overall ratings are down, that’s not the case in each district. It’s the old game that every congressman is corrupt except mine. So even thought the “approval” is so low, there are few incumbents who will lose their seats and some will win their elections with 75% or more of the vote.
   
Streetsblog New York City
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Pin it on Shelly!
by Aaron Naparstek
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COMMENTS
You are the typical naif who thinks every politician is corrupt except the ones you vote for.
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Joe Knickerbocker
September 6, 2008 at 9:05 am
   
Gothamist
After Re-Election As Speaker, Quinn Demotes Her Rival
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COMMENTS
thefacts replied to comment from felixthecat
Felix, assuming the poll is correct, then why did 52% of her CONSTITUENTS vote in a 3-way race to re-elect her? They are very knowledgeable and informed, just as much as you are, but still made the decision to vote for her.
 
You know, there is an old saying, “Everyone thinks politicians are corrupt, except the ones they vote for.”
 
So, seriously, whom did you vote for the council; please name that person? Because we want to know the one non-corrupt person in the council?
 
The same applies to the Legislature. Please let us know who the incorruptibles are. Thanks.
January 22, 2010 2:25 PM
 
Slate—The Fray—Politics
It’s called a representative democracy
by opus512
02/09/2010, 1:40 PM
I don’t like all that crap that Murtha did, but all he did was his job.
 
This is where the old adage that ‘everyone elses Congressman is corrupt except mine’ comes from. Everyone elses earmarks are pork except ours.