Certain individuals have been able to maintain an unusually strong control over state and local politics. Often known as "party bosses," these men used shady methods to obtain office and manipulate policy for their own purposes.
Source
James Curley http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAcurley.htm; Richard Daley http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_J._Daley; Boss Tweed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Boss_tweed.jpg. Created by Gary Keith and Mike Frost.