Cover‑up Belief as Trust Indicator

A simple electorate metric: the share of adults who say a powerful political actor is 'covering up' a major crime can function as an early indicator of institutional distrust and the durability of scandal narratives. Repeated, stable polling on this question (with partisan breakdowns and exposure measures) helps forecast whether an allegation will remain a live political liability or fade. — If tracked routinely, this metric gives journalists, officials, and campaigns a concrete early‑warning signal about accountability pressure and the likely electoral salience of corruption claims.