Political Scandals

Embarrassing political scandals

Congressman Chris Lee is the latest politician to get caught in a career-ending scandal. Did he really he they wouldn’t get caught sending topless photos via cell phone? Other disgraced politicians trolled for sex in a public bathroom, traded arms for money and got convicted of laundering money. Seriously. What were they thinking?

Charlie Rangel

Sloppy record-keeping or fraud? The House Ethics Committee recently found Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) guilty on 11 charges. On December 2, 2010, the full House voted to censure him

Tom DeLay

In November 2010, a Texas jury convicted DeLay of this crime only weeks after he was on a popular TV show. He was sentenced to prison but is free pending appeal.

Scooter Libby

Lewis "Scooter" Libby, chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in the Valerie Plame affair on March 6, 2007. Her story was told in this recent big-budget movie.

George W. Bush

The 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq hinged on intelligence that Saddam Hussein was developing certain types of weapons. This infamous memo showed that the intelligence and the facts were being fixed around policy, and then there was the matter of the Yellowcake forgery.

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton was impeached for allegedly lying under oath about sexual relations with an infamous White House intern. Acquitted by the Senate, he remained in office but was subsequently cited for contempt of court and agreed to a five-year suspension of his Arkansas law license and was also barred from practicing law before the Supreme Court.

The Keating Five

A savings and loan scandal in the 1980s brought down hundreds of financial institutions and cost taxpayers more than $1 billion. A group of U.S. Senators nicknamed the Keating Five were accused of corruption. That didn't not stop one of them from later running for president twice.

Iran-Contra Affair

A CIA chief and one of his advisers hatched a plan to sell TOW missiles to Iran for the return of U.S. hostages and then use part of the money received to fund Contra rebels trying to overthrow their nation's left-wing government. When news of the scandal broke, former President Ronald Reagan appeared on TV stating there was no "arms for hostages" deal, but was later forced to admit otherwise

D.C. Madam

Deborah Jeane Palfrey, better known as the D.C. Madam, was found guilty in April 2008 of four felony charges stemming from her Washington-area prostitution business. She said she ran a "sexual fantasy services" escort firm that prohibited illegal activity. She was found dead before she was sentenced.

Watergate

It's why the media adds the suffix "-gate" to every scandal. It all started with a break-in at the Democratic Party national headquarters at the Watergate Hotel. A cover-up ensued that led to the downfall of former President Richard Nixon and dozens of government officials. Eventually, Nixon resigned rather than going through the impeachment process.

Nixon pardon

After Nixon resigned, he was pardoned by then-President Gerald Ford. Critics cried foul, but Ford defended the move, saying he felt it was in the best interest of the country. It paved the way for Jimmy Carter to win the 1976 election.

Chappaquiddick

In 1969, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) drove his car into the channel between Chappaquiddick Island and Martha's Vineyard, killing his young female passenger. The tragedy and allegations of an attempted cover-up may have dashed his presidential ambitions.

Larry Craig

The senator from conservative Idaho put the phrase "wide stance" into the American vernacular. His 28-year congressional career ended after he was arrested in an airport bathroom. At least he had the decency not to run for re-election.

Silvio Berlusconi

The 74-year-old Italian prime minister and media magnate has survived numerous indictments, but this latest allegation may bring his political career to an end.

Newport scandal

Back in 1919, Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered an investigation into allegations of "immoral conduct" at the Navy base in Newport, R.I., in what's considered the nation's first gay sex scandal. Later, undercover investigators were accused of going too far to prove their case.

Rod Blagojevich

Illinois has long been known as a place where corruption runs rampant, but former Gov. Rod Blagojevich may have taken things to a new level. He was impeached, removed from office and tried launching a reality TV show career.

Eliot Spitzer

While governor of New York, he was reportedly involved in an alleged prostitution ring that ended his political career. Now he's the host of a TV show -- go figure.