One of the first lessons U.S. students learn in social studies class is how Americans have chosen a different type of executive leadership than many European countries.
Instead of kings and queens, Americans elect presidents. But that doesn’t mean that hereditary impulses are completely absent from our elections.
St. Louis County Council member Dennis Hancock faced scrutiny last month after he sought to hire his stepdaughter as his assistant. The Missouri Constitution prohibits nepotism, and it’s been frowned upon throughout American history.
Yet, family ties among people in elected offices have been common since the country’s beginnings.
Historian Cassandra Good, author of the 2023 book, “First Family: George Washington's Heirs and the Making of America,” explains that in early American history there was a small elite population serving in politics, so families held political power for generations.
“If we think about even John Adams and John Quincy Adams, two of our early presidents were father and son, so this really goes back to the beginnings of the nation,” Good said.
There is nothing in the U.S. Constitution that prohibits directly appointing a relative to a paid governmental position, and anti-nepotism statutes vary in the states — including between Missouri and Illinois.
Appointing a family member to a position, however, was always seen as inappropriate and corrupt, said Good, who is an associate professor at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia.
“We see with George Washington, both friends and even his nephew are writing to him when he becomes president, to say, ‘Hey, do you think you could appoint me to this position?’" Good said. “He over and over again says, ‘That would look bad. People are going to be watching me closely, and I cannot even have the appearance of corruption.’”
Hancock, the councilman accused of nepotism last month, admits he made a mistake and was reinstated to his duties. Good said the debate over what is considered appropriate or illegal continues nationally and on local levels.
“Certainly even when laws are on the books, there is room for interpretation,” she said.
To hear more from historian Cassandra Good about the tradition and controversy around nepotism in American politics, listen to the full St. Louis on the Air conversation on Apple Podcast, Spotify and YouTube, or click the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Ulaa Kuziez, Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Jada Jones is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
