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'@@ -1,156 +1,152 @@ {{Short description|none}} {{Copy edit|date=January 2023}} -Many [[sex scandal]]s in [[History of the United States|American history]] have involved [[incumbent]] United States federal elected [[politician]]s, as well as persons appointed with the consent of the [[United States Senate]].<ref>Dagnes, Alison. ''[https://books.google.com/books/about/Sex_Scandals_in_American_Politics.html?id=FkWtJbEBVtUC Sex Scandals in American Politics: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Construction and Aftermath of Contemporary Political Sex Scandals]'' (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2011).</ref><ref>Slansky, Paul. ''[https://archive.org/details/littlequizbookof0000slan The Little Quiz Book of Big Political Sex Scandals]'' (Simon and Schuster, 2009).</ref><ref>Apostolidis, Paul and Williams, Juliet. ''[https://books.google.com/books/about/Public_affairs.html?id=IJN5AAAAMAAJ Public Affairs: Politics in the Age of Sex Scandals]'' (Duke University Press, 2004).</ref> Sometimes, the officials have denied the accusations, have apologized, or have lost their office in consequence of the scandal (e.g. by resigning, being defeated, or deciding not to run again). +This list contains notable [[sex scandal]]s in [[History of the United States|American history]] involving [[incumbent]] U.S. federal elected [[politician]]s and persons appointed with the consent of the [[United States Senate]].<ref>Dagnes, Alison. ''[https://books.google.com/books/about/Sex_Scandals_in_American_Politics.html?id=FkWtJbEBVtUC Sex Scandals in American Politics: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Construction and Aftermath of Contemporary Political Sex Scandals]'' (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2011).</ref><ref>Slansky, Paul. ''[https://archive.org/details/littlequizbookof0000slan The Little Quiz Book of Big Political Sex Scandals]'' (Simon and Schuster, 2009).</ref><ref>Apostolidis, Paul and Williams, Juliet. ''[https://books.google.com/books/about/Public_affairs.html?id=IJN5AAAAMAAJ Public Affairs: Politics in the Age of Sex Scandals]'' (Duke University Press, 2004).</ref> This list does not include politicians' [[List of American federal politicians convicted of crimes|sex crimes]].<ref>Williams, Juliet. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-the-strauss-kahn-and-schwarzenegger-scandals-dont-go-together/2011/05/19/AFZi2u7G_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage "Why the Strauss-Kahn and Schwarzenegger scandals don't go together"], ''[[The Washington Post]]'' (May 20, 2011) (opinion).</ref>{{Disputed inline|Biden and Kavanaugh|date=June 2020}} -This list is ordered chronologically. There is some emphasis on sex scandals since the mid-1970s, because the media was less inclined to cover these matters before then.<ref>Keck, Kristi. [http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/14/political.sex.scandals/index.html?eref=time_us "Political sex scandals a nonpartisan affair"], CNN (July 14, 2009).</ref> Additionally, [[outing]] people because of perceptions that their political positions are anti-gay, have become increasingly common since 1989.<ref>Gross, Larry. ''Contested Closets: The Politics and Ethics of Outing''. University of Minnesota Press, 1993 {{ISBN|0-8166-2179-9}}</ref> More generally, any perceived inconsistency between personal conduct and policy positions makes a politician's sex life more likely to become publicized. +This list is ordered chronologically, with emphasis on modern scandals. Before the 1970s, American media did not cover political sex scandals extensively.<ref>Keck, Kristi. [http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/14/political.sex.scandals/index.html?eref=time_us "Political sex scandals a nonpartisan affair"], CNN (July 14, 2009).</ref> Additionally, [[outing]] politicians has increased since 1989.<ref>Gross, Larry. ''Contested Closets: The Politics and Ethics of Outing''. University of Minnesota Press, 1993 {{ISBN|0-8166-2179-9}}</ref> -For these listed people, either the scandal, or the behavior which gave rise to it, occurred while they were occupying their high federal offices, and one or the other date may be used here, even if coverage of the scandal was entirely posthumous. Politicians' [[List of American federal politicians convicted of crimes|sex crimes]] are not covered in this particular list, regardless of whether there has been a verdict yet.<ref>Williams, Juliet. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-the-strauss-kahn-and-schwarzenegger-scandals-dont-go-together/2011/05/19/AFZi2u7G_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage "Why the Strauss-Kahn and Schwarzenegger scandals don't go together"], ''[[The Washington Post]]'' (May 20, 2011) (opinion).</ref>{{Disputed inline|Biden and Kavanaugh|date=June 2020}} +For all listed people, the scandal (or scandalous behavior) occurred while they were occupying their high federal offices, even if coverage was posthumous. {{dynamic list}} ==Definitions== -One of the definitions of sex is "physical activity in which people touch each other's bodies, kiss each other, etc."<ref>[http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/sex Merriam-Webster Learners Dictionary].</ref> Thus, instances or accusations of [[sexism]], [[homophobia]], or [[exhibitionism]] that do not include or seek that sort of physical activity are not covered by this list. +This list does not cover instances or accusations of [[sexism]], [[homophobia]], or [[exhibitionism]] that do not include or seek sexual activity. -A scandal is “loss of or damage to reputation caused by actual, accused, or apparent violation of morality or propriety.”<ref>[http://www.merriam-webster.com/idictionary/scandal Merriam-Webster Dictionary].</ref> Scandal is not the same as controversy, which implies two differing points of view and is not the same as unpopularity. Misunderstandings, breaches of ethics, or cover-ups may or may not result in scandals depending on the amount of publicity generated and the seriousness of the alleged behavior.<ref>Grossman, Mark. ''Political Corruption in America: An Encyclopedia of Scandals, Power, and Greed.'' (2003).</ref> +A scandal is "loss of or damage to reputation caused by actual, accused, or apparent violation of morality or propriety."<ref>[http://www.merriam-webster.com/idictionary/scandal Merriam-Webster Dictionary].</ref> Scandal is not the same as [[controversy]] or [[unpopularity]]. Misunderstandings, breaches of [[ethics]], and [[Cover-up|cover-ups]] may result in scandals, depending on the amount of publicity generated and the seriousness of the alleged behavior.<ref>Grossman, Mark. ''Political Corruption in America: An Encyclopedia of Scandals, Power, and Greed.'' (2003).</ref> -==1776–1899== -* [[Alexander Hamilton]] ([[Federalist Party (United States)|Federalist]]-[[New York (state)|New York]]), Secretary of the Treasury — had an affair with [[Maria Reynolds]]. At the same time, both were married to other people (see [[Hamilton-Reynolds sex scandal]]). Reynolds' husband blackmailed Hamilton, who paid to maintain secrecy. In 1797, when Hamilton no longer held the post, the affair was publicized by journalist [[James Callender]], after which Hamilton publicly apologized. In his apology, Hamilton said: “This confession is not made without a blush.... I can never cease to condemn myself for the pang which it may inflict in a bosom eminently entitled to all my gratitude, fidelity, and love.” (1796)<ref>Cerniglia, Keith A. "An Indelicate Amor: Alexander Hamilton and the First American Political Sex Scandal," Master's Thesis, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 2002.</ref><ref>Serratore, Angela. [http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/alexander-hamiltons-adultery-and-apology-18021947/?no-ist "Alexander Hamilton's Adultery and Apology"], ''[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]]'' (July 25, 2013).</ref> -* [[Thomas Jefferson]] ([[Democratic-Republican Party|Democratic-Republican]]-[[Virginia]]), President — was publicly accused of fathering the children of the slave woman [[Sally Hemings]], by journalist [[James T. Callender|James Callender]] (who had also publicized Alexander Hamilton's affair) in the [[Jefferson–Hemings controversy]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Gordon-Reed|first=Annette|title=Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy|publisher=University of Virginia Press|year=1997}}</ref> Hemings was the half-sister of Jefferson's late wife [[Martha Jefferson|Martha]], and based partly upon DNA evidence, there is now a scholarly consensus that either a relative of Thomas Jefferson or Thomas Jefferson himself fathered several of Sally Hemings's children.<ref>{{cite web|title=Thomas Jefferson|url=http://www.nps.gov/jeff/historyculture/thomas-jefferson.htm|work=Jefferson National Expansion Memorial|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=May 2, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Thomas Jefferson|url=http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/jefferson/essays/biography/1|work=American President A Reference Resource|publisher=Miller Center – University of Virginia|page=1|access-date=May 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505114527/http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/jefferson/essays/biography/1|archive-date=May 5, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In January 2000, a Thomas Jefferson Foundation research committee concluded that all the known evidence indicated with high probability that Thomas Jefferson was the father of [[Eston Hemings]], and that he was also likely the father of all six of Sally Hemings's children listed in the Monticello records. A later report from a Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society committee differed and concluded that "Randolph" (presumably [[Thomas Jefferson Randolph]], Jefferson's grandson; he was known to have been invited to visit Monticello around the time of Eston's conception, but no record of an actual visit has been found) is more likely the father, or possibly that one of Jefferson's Carr nephews is the father.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.monticello.org/thomas-jefferson/jefferson-slavery/thomas-jefferson-and-sally-hemings-a-brief-account/|title=Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: A Brief Account|website=Monticello}}</ref> (1802) -* [[Andrew Jackson]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]-[[Tennessee]]), U.S. Congressman, U.S. Senator, territorial (or military) Governor (appointed) of Florida, and later President of the United States — had married [[Rachel Donelson Jackson]] in 1791. Both believed her divorce from her abusive, alcoholic first husband, Lewis Robards, was final. However, Robards had never completed his paperwork, rendering Jackson and Rachel's 1791 marriage void; and the couple married again in 1794. Throughout his later career, opponents of Jackson portrayed Rachel as a bigamist. Shortly after he was elected president in 1828 (but before the inauguration), Rachel suffered a nervous collapse and died. Jackson blamed this on the bigamy charges during the campaign and was bereft at the loss of his wife. (1828)<ref>Nashville Public Television, [https://web.archive.org/web/20080524013323/http://www.wnpt.org/productions/rachel/ "Rachel and Andrew Jackson: A Love Story"], 2001.</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Paul F. Boller Jr. |title=Presidential Campaigns : From George Washington to George W. Bush|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eRtKe5p_PpMC&pg=PA46|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=46|isbn=9780198037378}}</ref> -* [[Richard Mentor Johnson]], Senator (Democrat-[[Kentucky]]) — did not attempt to hide his relationship with an enslaved woman named [[Julia Chinn]], which caused his party to distance themselves from him and contributed to his failed Senate re-election bid in 1828.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/VP_Richard_M_Johnson.htm |title=Richard Mentor Johnson, 9th Vice President (1837–1841) |publisher=U.S. Senate |access-date=November 13, 2012}}</ref> Though they were prohibited from marrying, Johnson treated her as his common-law wife, and they had two children. She died in 1833 before he became vice-president under [[Martin Van Buren]]. -* [[John Eaton (politician)|John Henry Eaton]] (Democrat), Secretary of War — allegedly had an affair with [[Peggy Eaton|Margaret O'Neill Timberlake]] (the wife of [[John B. Timberlake]]) which reportedly drove Timberlake to suicide (see [[Petticoat affair]]). Eaton then married the widow, [[Peggy Eaton|Peggy]], which led to social and political difficulties during the administration of President [[Andrew Jackson]]. -* [[James Henry Hammond]] ([[Nullifier Party]]-[[South Carolina]]), U.S. Representative and later Senator<ref>{{cite web|url=http://history.house.gov/People/Listing/H/HAMMOND,-James-Henry-(H000128)/|title=HAMMOND, James Henry - US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives|publisher=U.S. House of Representatives}}</ref> — engaged in a homosexual relationship with a college friend, pursued what he called "a little dalliance" with his teenage nieces, and had sexual relationships with enslaved females (including a twelve year old girl).<ref name="brown">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/29/books/monster-of-all-he-surveyed.html|title=Monster of All He Surveyed|first=Rosellen|last=Brown|date=January 29, 1989|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> The affair with his nieces became public in 1843 and forced Hammond to withdraw from his Senate bid in 1846, but he later became a U.S. Senator again in 1857.<ref>Martin Duberman, [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7042833. "'Writhing Bedfellows': 1826".] ''Journal of Homosexuality'' 6, no. 1 (1981): 85–101.</ref> -* [[Daniel Webster]], U.S. Senator ([[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]-Massachusetts) — was the subject of accusations by a reporter, [[Jane Grey Swisshelm]], in May 1850, while he was married and still serving in Congress: “His mistresses are generally, if not always, colored women—some of them big black wenches as ugly and vulgar as himself.” The national press widely copied the charges of infidelity, which are at least partly corroborated by other sources. (1850)<ref>Remini, Robert. ''Daniel Webster: The Man and His Time'', pp. 307–308 (W. W. Norton & Company, 1997).</ref> -* [[James Buchanan]] (Democrat), U.S. Senator, diplomat, later President of the United States, and [[William Rufus King]] (Democrat-[[Alabama]]), who served as vice-president under [[Franklin Pierce]], and who died in 1853 before Buchanan became president, were the subject of scandalous gossip alleging a homosexual affair in [[Washington, D.C.]], for many years. Andrew Jackson referred to King as “Miss Nancy.”<ref>Bill Kelter, ''[https://archive.org/details/veeps0000kelt/page/71 <!-- quote="andrew jackson" "miss nancy". --> Veeps]'', 2008, page 71</ref> (1850s) -* [[Philip Barton Key II]], the [[United States Attorney for the District of Columbia]] and son of [[Francis Scott Key]] — had a public affair with [[Teresa Bagioli Sickles]], the wife of U.S. Congressman (and later Civil War Major General) [[Daniel Sickles]] (himself a public serial adulterer), who gunned him down in broad daylight in Lafayette Square in 1859. Sickles was acquitted of murder after the first successful [[temporary insanity]] defense in the United States, put forward by his attorneys [[James T. Brady]], John Graham, and [[Edwin Stanton]] (later Lincoln's [[Secretary of War]]).<ref name=key>{{cite news|title=Assassination of Philip Barton Key, by Daniel E. Sickles of New York |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/824716112.html?dids=824716112:824716112&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+01,+1859&author=&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=Assassination+of+Philip+Barton+Key,+by+Daniel+E.+Sickles+of+New+York&pqatl=google|quote=For more than a year there have been floating rumors of improper intimacy between Mr. Key and Mrs. Sickles. They have occasionally attended parties, the opera and rode out together. Mr. Sickles has heard of these reports but would never credit them until Thursday evening. On that evening, just as a party was about breaking up at his house, Mr. Sickles received among his papers...|work=[[Hartford Daily Courant]]|date=March 1, 1859|access-date=November 30, 2010 }}</ref> -* {{anchor|Grover Cleveland}}[[Grover Cleveland]], President (Democrat-[[New York (state)|New York]]) — During the 1884 presidential race,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Coppola|first1=Lee|title=New bio examines the skeletons in Grover Cleveland's closet|url=http://www.buffalonews.com/new_bio_examines_the_skeletons_in_grover_clevelandaposs_closet.html|newspaper=The Buffalo News |date=August 28, 2011 |access-date=October 11, 2016}}</ref> the news broke that Cleveland had paid child support to the widowed Maria Crofts Halpin for her son, Oscar Folsom Cleveland, born in 1874.<ref name="Sibley">{{cite book|editor1-last=Sibley|editor1-first=Katherine A.S.|title=A Companion to First Ladies|date=2016|publisher=John Wiley & Sons |page=269|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=77u4CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA269|isbn=9781118732243}}</ref> Halpin accused Cleveland of raping her, leading to her pregnancy, and she also accused him of later institutionalizing her against her will to gain control of their child.<ref>{{Cite book|title=A Secret Life|last=Lachman|first=Charles|publisher=Skyhorse Publishing|year=2014|pages=285–288}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-life-and-presidency-of-grover-cleveland|title=The Life and Presidency of Grover Cleveland|last1=Bushong|first1=William|last2=Chervinsky|first2=Lindsay|date=2007|website=White House History}}</ref> Cleveland's acknowledgment of Oscar's paternity ameliorated the political situation.<ref name="Sibley"/> Still, the controversy prompted Cleveland's opponents to adopt the chant, “Ma, ma, where's my pa?” After Cleveland won the election, the chant was answered by, “Gone to the White House, ha, ha, ha!” (1884)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thinkprogress.org/yglesias/2010/01/15/195801/historical-sex-scandals/ |title=Historic Sex Scandals |author=Matthew Yglesias |date=January 15, 2010 |publisher=ThinkProgress |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> -* An anonymous letter writer sent James W. Harold a message accusing former U.S. President and candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives [[Andrew Johnson]] of conducting an affair with his neighbor, Harold's wife, Mrs. [[Emily Wright Harold]]. Mrs. Harold committed suicide within days. A libel trial charged and acquitted one R.C. Horn of having sent the letter. (1872)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-17 |title=Hidden Scandal: a Woman, a Gun, and a President - Appalachia Bare |url=https://www.appalachiabare.com/hidden-scandal-a-woman-a-gun-and-a-president/ |access-date=2023-06-12 |language=en-US}}</ref> -* [[William Campbell Preston Breckinridge]], Representative (Democrat-Kentucky) — Former mistress Madeleine Pollard sued Breckinridge for breach of promise after his wife died, and he failed to marry Pollard as promised. The congressman was not reelected. (1894) {{citation needed|date=April 2015}} -* [[George Q. Cannon]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]), Utah Territorial Delegate — was refused his seat in Congress due to his arrest for unlawful cohabitation (polygamy). He served nearly six months in prison. (1888)<ref>{{cite web |title=CANNON, George Quayle - Biographical Information |url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000119 |website=bioguide.congress.gov |publisher=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |access-date=24 November 2018}}</ref> +==1796–1899== +* [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|Secretary of the Treasury]] [[Alexander Hamilton]] ([[Federalist Party (United States)|Federalist]]) had an affair with [[Maria Reynolds]] while both were married to other people (see [[Hamilton-Reynolds sex scandal]]). Reynolds's husband blackmailed Hamilton, who paid to maintain secrecy. In 1797, after Hamilton was no longer Treasury Secretary, journalist [[James Callender]] publicized the affair. Hamilton made a public apology, stating, "This confession is not made without a blush.... I can never cease to condemn myself for the pang which it may inflict in a bosom eminently entitled to all my gratitude, fidelity, and love." (1796)<ref>Cerniglia, Keith A. "An Indelicate Amor: Alexander Hamilton and the First American Political Sex Scandal," Master's Thesis, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 2002.</ref><ref>Serratore, Angela. [http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/alexander-hamiltons-adultery-and-apology-18021947/?no-ist "Alexander Hamilton's Adultery and Apology"], ''[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]]'' (July 25, 2013).</ref> +* [[President of the United States|President]] [[Thomas Jefferson]] ([[Democratic-Republican Party|Democratic-Republican]]) was publicly accused of fathering the children of the slave woman [[Sally Hemings]], by journalist [[James T. Callender|James Callender]] in the [[Jefferson–Hemings controversy]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Gordon-Reed|first=Annette|title=Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy|publisher=University of Virginia Press|year=1997}}</ref> Hemings was the half-sister of Jefferson's late wife [[Martha Jefferson|Martha]]. Based partly upon DNA, there is now a scholarly consensus that either Jefferson or a close relative fathered several of Hemings's children.<ref>{{cite web|title=Thomas Jefferson|url=http://www.nps.gov/jeff/historyculture/thomas-jefferson.htm|work=Jefferson National Expansion Memorial|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=May 2, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Thomas Jefferson|url=http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/jefferson/essays/biography/1|work=American President A Reference Resource|publisher=Miller Center – University of Virginia|page=1|access-date=May 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505114527/http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/jefferson/essays/biography/1|archive-date=May 5, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In January 2000, a Thomas Jefferson Foundation research committee concluded that Thomas Jefferson was probably the father of [[Eston Hemings]] and likely the father of all six of Hemings's children. A later report from a Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society committee differed, concluding that either "Randolph" (presumably [[Thomas Jefferson Randolph]], Jefferson's grandson) or a nephew of Jefferson Carr likely fathered Eston.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.monticello.org/thomas-jefferson/jefferson-slavery/thomas-jefferson-and-sally-hemings-a-brief-account/|title=Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: A Brief Account|website=Monticello}}</ref> (1802) +* President [[Andrew Jackson]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]) married [[Rachel Donelson Jackson]] in 1791. Both believed that her divorce from her abusive, alcoholic first husband, Lewis Robards, was final. However, Robards had never completed his paperwork, rendering Jackson and Rachel's 1791 marriage void. The couple remarried in 1794. Throughout Jackson's later career, his opponents portrayed Rachel as a [[Bigamy|bigamist]]. After he was elected president in 1828, Rachel suffered a nervous collapse and died before his inauguration. Jackson, bereft at the loss of his wife, blamed her death on the bigamy accusations.<ref>Nashville Public Television, [https://web.archive.org/web/20080524013323/http://www.wnpt.org/productions/rachel/ "Rachel and Andrew Jackson: A Love Story"], 2001.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Paul F. Boller Jr. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eRtKe5p_PpMC&pg=PA46 |title=Presidential Campaigns : From George Washington to George W. Bush |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2004 |isbn=9780198037378 |page=46}}</ref> (1828) +* [[United States Senate|Senator]] (Sen.) [[Richard Mentor Johnson]] of [[Kentucky]] (Democrat) did not attempt to hide his relationship with an enslaved woman named [[Julia Chinn]], which caused his party to distance themselves from him and contributed to his failed Senate re-election bid in 1828.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/VP_Richard_M_Johnson.htm |title=Richard Mentor Johnson, 9th Vice President (1837–1841) |publisher=U.S. Senate |access-date=November 13, 2012}}</ref> Though they were prohibited from marrying, Johnson treated her as his [[Common-law marriage|common-law wife]], and they had two children. She died in 1833 before he became vice-president under [[Martin Van Buren]]. (1828) +* [[United States Secretary of War|Secretary of War]] [[John Eaton (politician)|John Henry Eaton]] (Democrat) allegedly had an affair with [[Peggy Eaton|Margaret O'Neill Timberlake]] (the wife of [[John B. Timberlake]]), which reportedly drove Timberlake to suicide (see [[Petticoat affair]]). Eaton then married the widow, which led to social and political difficulties during the administration of President [[Andrew Jackson]]. +* Sen. [[James Henry Hammond]] of [[South Carolina]] ([[Nullifier Party]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://history.house.gov/People/Listing/H/HAMMOND,-James-Henry-(H000128)/|title=HAMMOND, James Henry - US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives|publisher=U.S. House of Representatives}}</ref> engaged in a homosexual relationship with a college friend, pursued what he called "a little dalliance" with his teenage nieces, and had sexual relationships with enslaved females (including a 12-year-old girl).<ref name="brown">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/29/books/monster-of-all-he-surveyed.html|title=Monster of All He Surveyed|first=Rosellen|last=Brown|date=January 29, 1989|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> The affair with his nieces became public in 1843 and forced Hammond to withdraw from his Senate bid in 1846, but he became a Senator again in 1857.<ref>Martin Duberman, [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7042833. "'Writhing Bedfellows': 1826".] ''Journal of Homosexuality'' 6, no. 1 (1981): 85–101.</ref> (1843) +* Sen. [[Daniel Webster]] of [[Massachusetts]] ([[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]) was the subject of accusations by a reporter, [[Jane Grey Swisshelm]], in May 1850, that "his mistresses are generally, if not always, colored women—some of them big black wenches as ugly and vulgar as himself." The national press widely copied the charges of infidelity, which are at least partly corroborated by other sources.<ref>Remini, Robert. ''Daniel Webster: The Man and His Time'', pp. 307–308 (W. W. Norton & Company, 1997).</ref> (1850) +* President [[James Buchanan]] (Democrat) and [[William Rufus King]] (Democrat), who served as vice-president under [[Franklin Pierce]], were the subject of gossip alleging a homosexual affair in [[Washington, D.C.]], for years. Andrew Jackson referred to King as “Miss Nancy.”<ref>Bill Kelter, ''[https://archive.org/details/veeps0000kelt/page/71 <!-- quote="andrew jackson" "miss nancy". --> Veeps]'', 2008, page 71</ref> (1850s) +* [[Philip Barton Key II]], the [[United States Attorney for the District of Columbia]] and son of [[Francis Scott Key]], had a public affair with [[Teresa Bagioli Sickles]], the wife of U.S. Congressman (and later Civil War Major General) [[Daniel Sickles]], who gunned Key down in broad daylight in Lafayette Square in 1859. Sickles was acquitted of murder after the first successful [[temporary insanity]] defense in the United States, put forward by his attorneys [[James T. Brady]], John Graham, and [[Edwin Stanton]] (later Lincoln's [[Secretary of War]]).<ref name=key>{{cite news|title=Assassination of Philip Barton Key, by Daniel E. Sickles of New York |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/824716112.html?dids=824716112:824716112&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+01,+1859&author=&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=Assassination+of+Philip+Barton+Key,+by+Daniel+E.+Sickles+of+New+York&pqatl=google|quote=For more than a year there have been floating rumors of improper intimacy between Mr. Key and Mrs. Sickles. They have occasionally attended parties, the opera and rode out together. Mr. Sickles has heard of these reports but would never credit them until Thursday evening. On that evening, just as a party was about breaking up at his house, Mr. Sickles received among his papers...|work=[[Hartford Daily Courant]]|date=March 1, 1859|access-date=November 30, 2010 }}</ref> +* {{anchor|Grover Cleveland}}President [[Grover Cleveland]] (Democrat) was the subject of controversy during the [[1884 presidential election|1884 presidential race]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Coppola|first1=Lee|title=New bio examines the skeletons in Grover Cleveland's closet|url=http://www.buffalonews.com/new_bio_examines_the_skeletons_in_grover_clevelandaposs_closet.html|newspaper=The Buffalo News |date=August 28, 2011 |access-date=October 11, 2016}}</ref> when news broke that he had paid child support to the widowed Maria Crofts Halpin for her son, Oscar Folsom Cleveland (b. 1874).<ref name="Sibley">{{cite book|editor1-last=Sibley|editor1-first=Katherine A.S.|title=A Companion to First Ladies|date=2016|publisher=John Wiley & Sons |page=269|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=77u4CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA269|isbn=9781118732243}}</ref> Halpin accused Cleveland of raping and impregnating her; she also accused him of institutionalizing her against her will to gain control of their child.<ref>{{Cite book|title=A Secret Life|last=Lachman|first=Charles|publisher=Skyhorse Publishing|year=2014|pages=285–288}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-life-and-presidency-of-grover-cleveland|title=The Life and Presidency of Grover Cleveland|last1=Bushong|first1=William|last2=Chervinsky|first2=Lindsay|date=2007|website=White House History}}</ref> Cleveland's acknowledgment of Oscar's paternity ameliorated the political situation.<ref name="Sibley"/> Still, the controversy prompted Cleveland's opponents to adopt the chant, "Ma, ma, where's my pa?" After Cleveland won the election, the chant was answered with "Gone to the White House, ha, ha, ha!"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thinkprogress.org/yglesias/2010/01/15/195801/historical-sex-scandals/ |title=Historic Sex Scandals |author=Matthew Yglesias |date=January 15, 2010 |publisher=ThinkProgress |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> (1884) +* In 1872, an anonymous letterwriter sent James W. Harold a message accusing [[Andrew Johnson]], former U.S. President and candidate for the House of Representatives, of an affair with Harold's wife, [[Emily Wright Harold]]. Emily Harold committed suicide within days. A libel trial charged and acquitted one "R.C. Horn" of having sent the letter.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-17 |title=Hidden Scandal: a Woman, a Gun, and a President - Appalachia Bare |url=https://www.appalachiabare.com/hidden-scandal-a-woman-a-gun-and-a-president/ |access-date=2023-06-12 |language=en-US}}</ref> +* [[United States House of Representatives|Representative]] (Rep.) [[William Campbell Preston Breckinridge]] of [[Kentucky]] (Democrat) was sued by his former mistress, Madeleine Pollard, for breach of promise after Breckinridge's wife died and he failed to marry Pollard. Breckinridge was not reelected. {{citation needed|date=April 2015}} (1894) +* [[George Q. Cannon]] of the Utah Territorial Delegate ([[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]) was refused his seat in Congress due to his arrest for unlawful cohabitation ([[polygamy]]). He served nearly six months in prison. (1888)<ref>{{cite web |title=CANNON, George Quayle - Biographical Information |url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000119 |website=bioguide.congress.gov |publisher=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |access-date=24 November 2018}}</ref> ==1900–1969== -* [[Arthur Brown (U.S. senator)|Arthur Brown]] (Republican-[[Utah]]), a U.S. Senator and founder of the Utah State Republican Party — was shot dead by his longtime mistress, Anne Maddison Bradley, for having a second mistress. Bradley, who had two children by Brown, was tried but acquitted on a defense of temporary insanity. (1906)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=56587872&itype=cmsid|title=Utah has a long list of famous political scandals|website=The Salt Lake Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Thatcher |first1=Linda |title=The Shooting of Arthur Brown, Ex-Senator From Utah |url=http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/statehood_and_the_progressive_era/theshootingofarthurbrownexsenatorfromutah.html |website=historytogo.utah.gov |access-date=24 November 2018 |date=November 1995}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BROWN, Arthur - Biographical Information |url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000902 |website=bioguide.congress.gov |publisher=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |access-date=24 November 2018}}</ref> -* [[Woodrow Wilson]], President (Democrat) — allegedly had an affair with Mary Allen Hulbert, whom he met in 1907 when he was president of [[Princeton University]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1999/01/10/an-honorable-affair/6645f8aa-1660-43d2-a71b-151a224f87dc/|title=An Honorable Affair|first=Gene|last=Weingarten|date=January 10, 1999|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> -* [[Warren G. Harding]], President (Republican) — reportedly had affairs with [[Carrie Phillips]] and [[Nan Britton]] during the 1910s and early 1920s before he died in 1923. Britton claimed in a best-selling 1927 book, ''The President's Daughter'', that Harding had fathered her daughter while he was a U.S. senator. Her assertion was finally established as factual in August 2015, when genetic tests confirmed Harding as the father of Elizabeth.<ref>{{cite news |last1= Baker|first1= Peter|date= August 12, 2015 |title= DNA Is Said to Solve a Mystery of Warren Harding's Love Life|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/13/us/dna-is-said-to-solve-a-mystery-of-warren-hardings-love-life.html|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> -* [[David I. Walsh]], Senator (Democrat-Massachusetts) — was accused of visiting a male brothel in Brooklyn frequented by Nazi spies in 1942.<ref>Anthony Tommasini, ''Virgil Thomson: Composer on the Aisle'' (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1999), 355–61</ref> -* [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], President (Democrat) — had multiple extra-marital affairs beginning in 1914 and continued until he died in 1945.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/archive/elro/glossary/mercer-lucy.htm |title=Lucy Page Mercer Rutherfurd |publisher=Eleanor Roosevelt Papers |access-date=February 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304022555/http://www.nps.gov/archive/elro/glossary/mercer-lucy.htm |archive-date=March 4, 2010}}</ref> -* [[Styles Bridges]], US Senator (Republican-[[New Hampshire]]) — during the [[Lavender Scare]] of the 1950s, threatened to expose the son of US Senator [[Lester Hunt]] (Democrat-[[Wyoming]]) as a homosexual, unless Hunt resigned from the Senate, which would give the Republicans a Senate majority. Hunt refused but did not seek re-election and later shot himself (1954).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/new-hampshire-u-s-senator-convicted-suicide-blackmail-scandal/ |title=New Hampshire Senator Convicted in Suicide, Blackmail Scandal |publisher=New England Historical Society|date=2013-09-17 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Benjamin Storrow |date=April 14, 2013 |title=A Death Untold: The Suicide of Wyoming Sen. Lester Hunt |newspaper=Casper Star-Tribune |url=http://trib.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/a-death-untold-the-suicide-of-wyoming-sen-lester-hunt/article_68e7c2e9-cec0-557b-bf53-1b5db00ea88e.html}}</ref> -* [[John F. Kennedy]], President (Democrat-[[Massachusetts]]) — has been linked to many extramarital affairs, including allegations of involvement with [[Marilyn Monroe]] and [[Judith Exner|Judith Campbell Exner]].<ref>{{cite news|title=The Exner File |author=Michael O'Brien |work=The Washington Monthly |date=December 1999}}</ref> He engaged in an affair with intern [[Mimi Alford]] during the period 1962–1963.<ref>{{Cite news|title=JFK mistress Mimi Alford reveals new details in book|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16900106|work=BBC News|date=2012-02-05|access-date=2012-02-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/28/books/books-of-the-times-substance-over-sex-in-kennedy-biography.html |title=Substance Over Sex In Kennedy Biography |author=David J. Garrow |newspaper=The New York Times |date=2003-05-23 |access-date=2012-02-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Former White House intern Mimi Alford reveals details of Kennedy affair |author=Jessica Hopper |url=http://rockcenter.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/06/10323677-former-white-house-intern-mimi-alford-reveals-details-of-kennedy-affair |newspaper=[[Rock Center with Brian Williams]] |date=February 6, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208093452/http://rockcenter.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/06/10323677-former-white-house-intern-mimi-alford-reveals-details-of-kennedy-affair |archive-date=February 8, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> -* [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], President (Democrat-[[Texas]]) — had extramarital affairs with multiple women over the years, in particular with Alice Marsh (''[[née]]'' Glass), who assisted him politically.<ref name="caro 2019">{{cite news|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/01/28/the-secrets-of-lyndon-johnsons-archives |title=The Secrets of Lyndon Johnson's Archives |author= Robert A. Caro |website=New Yorker |date=2019-01-28 |access-date=2019-01-28}}</ref> One such affair with [[Madeleine Duncan Brown]] allegedly led to her pregnancy with a son out of that relationship.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/archive/was-lbjs-final-secret-a-son-vol-28-no-5/ +* Sen. [[Arthur Brown (U.S. senator)|Arthur Brown]] of [[Utah]] (Republican), founder of the Utah State Republican Party, was shot dead by his longtime mistress, Anne Maddison Bradley, for having a second mistress. Bradley, who had two children by Brown, was tried but acquitted on a defense of temporary insanity.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Utah has a long list of famous political scandals |url=https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=56587872&itype=cmsid |website=The Salt Lake Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Thatcher |first1=Linda |date=November 1995 |title=The Shooting of Arthur Brown, Ex-Senator From Utah |url=http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/statehood_and_the_progressive_era/theshootingofarthurbrownexsenatorfromutah.html |access-date=24 November 2018 |website=historytogo.utah.gov}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BROWN, Arthur - Biographical Information |url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000902 |access-date=24 November 2018 |website=bioguide.congress.gov |publisher=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress}}</ref> (1906) +* President [[Woodrow Wilson]] (Democrat) allegedly had an affair with Mary Allen Hulbert, whom he met in 1907 when he was president of [[Princeton University]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1999/01/10/an-honorable-affair/6645f8aa-1660-43d2-a71b-151a224f87dc/|title=An Honorable Affair|first=Gene|last=Weingarten|date=January 10, 1999|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> +* President [[Warren G. Harding]] (Republican) reportedly had affairs with [[Carrie Phillips]] and [[Nan Britton]] during the 1910s and early 1920s before he died in 1923. Britton claimed in her best-selling 1927 book, ''The President's Daughter'', that Harding had fathered her daughter Elizabeth while he was a Senator. In August 2015, genetic tests confirmed Harding as the father of Elizabeth.<ref>{{cite news |last1= Baker|first1= Peter|date= August 12, 2015 |title= DNA Is Said to Solve a Mystery of Warren Harding's Love Life|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/13/us/dna-is-said-to-solve-a-mystery-of-warren-hardings-love-life.html|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> +* Sen. [[David I. Walsh]] of Massachusetts (Democrat) was accused of visiting a male brothel in Brooklyn frequented by Nazi spies in 1942.<ref>Anthony Tommasini, ''Virgil Thomson: Composer on the Aisle'' (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1999), 355–61</ref> +* President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] (Democrat) had multiple extramarital affairs from 1914 until his death in 1945.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/archive/elro/glossary/mercer-lucy.htm |title=Lucy Page Mercer Rutherfurd |publisher=Eleanor Roosevelt Papers |access-date=February 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304022555/http://www.nps.gov/archive/elro/glossary/mercer-lucy.htm |archive-date=March 4, 2010}}</ref> +* During the [[Lavender Scare]] of the 1950s, Sen. [[Styles Bridges]] of [[New Hampshire]] (Republican) threatened to expose the son of [[Wyoming]] Sen. [[Lester Hunt]] (Democrat) unless Hunt resigned from the Senate, giving the Republicans a Senate majority. Hunt refused but did not seek re-election and later shot himself.<ref>{{cite web |date=2013-09-17 |title=New Hampshire Senator Convicted in Suicide, Blackmail Scandal |url=http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/new-hampshire-u-s-senator-convicted-suicide-blackmail-scandal/ |publisher=New England Historical Society}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Benjamin Storrow |date=April 14, 2013 |title=A Death Untold: The Suicide of Wyoming Sen. Lester Hunt |url=http://trib.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/a-death-untold-the-suicide-of-wyoming-sen-lester-hunt/article_68e7c2e9-cec0-557b-bf53-1b5db00ea88e.html |newspaper=Casper Star-Tribune}}</ref> (1954) +* President [[John F. Kennedy]] (Democrat) has been linked to many extramarital affairs, including allegations of involvement with [[Marilyn Monroe]] and [[Judith Exner|Judith Campbell Exner]].<ref>{{cite news|title=The Exner File |author=Michael O'Brien |work=The Washington Monthly |date=December 1999}}</ref> He engaged in an affair with intern [[Mimi Alford]] in 1962 and 1963.<ref>{{Cite news|title=JFK mistress Mimi Alford reveals new details in book|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16900106|work=BBC News|date=2012-02-05|access-date=2012-02-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/28/books/books-of-the-times-substance-over-sex-in-kennedy-biography.html |title=Substance Over Sex In Kennedy Biography |author=David J. Garrow |newspaper=The New York Times |date=2003-05-23 |access-date=2012-02-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Former White House intern Mimi Alford reveals details of Kennedy affair |author=Jessica Hopper |url=http://rockcenter.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/06/10323677-former-white-house-intern-mimi-alford-reveals-details-of-kennedy-affair |newspaper=[[Rock Center with Brian Williams]] |date=February 6, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208093452/http://rockcenter.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/06/10323677-former-white-house-intern-mimi-alford-reveals-details-of-kennedy-affair |archive-date=February 8, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> +* President [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] (Democrat) had extramarital affairs with multiple women, in particular with Alice Marsh (''[[née]]'' Glass), who assisted him politically.<ref name="caro 2019">{{cite news|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/01/28/the-secrets-of-lyndon-johnsons-archives |title=The Secrets of Lyndon Johnson's Archives |author= Robert A. Caro |website=New Yorker |date=2019-01-28 |access-date=2019-01-28}}</ref> His affair with [[Madeleine Duncan Brown]] allegedly resulted in a son.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/archive/was-lbjs-final-secret-a-son-vol-28-no-5/ |title=Was LBJ's Final Secret a Son?|author=Montgomery Brower|date=August 3, 1987}}</ref> -* [[William O. Douglas]], [[U.S. Supreme Court]] Justice (Democrat) — allegedly pursued other women while married to his third wife, which, combined with his three divorces and remarriages, was considered scandalous. He also reportedly tried to molest a flight attendant in his judicial chambers. Attempted impeachment based on his moral character failed when the House Judiciary Committee found insufficient grounds for impeachment.<ref>Hutchinson, Dennis. [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-03-16/entertainment/0303140392_1_bruce-allen-murphy-supreme-court-legend-and-life "Dismantling a legend"], ''Los Angeles Times'' (March 16, 2003): "Throughout his marriages, he pursued other women, including one episode recounted by Murphy in which a naive flight attendant was chased around his office in the Court and escaped before she could be molested."</ref><ref>Shotwell, C.''[https://books.google.com/books?id=sfyOAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT131 When Labels Fail: Politics, Values, and Ideology on the Supreme Court]'', p. 131 (Xlibris 2006): "By the moral climate of the time, his divorcing and marrying three times while on the Court was considered scandalous. His reputed philandering while on the Court did not help. But the House Judiciary Committee, controlled by a Democratic majority, found insufficient grounds for impeachment."</ref>{{Self-published inline|certain=yes|date=December 2017}} (1960s) +* [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]] Justice [[William O. Douglas]] (Democrat) allegedly pursued other women while married to his third wife. He reportedly tried to molest a flight attendant in his judicial chambers. Attempted [[impeachment]] based on his moral character failed when the [[United States House Committee on the Judiciary|House Judiciary Committee]] found insufficient grounds.<ref>Hutchinson, Dennis. [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-03-16/entertainment/0303140392_1_bruce-allen-murphy-supreme-court-legend-and-life "Dismantling a legend"], ''Los Angeles Times'' (March 16, 2003): "Throughout his marriages, he pursued other women, including one episode recounted by Murphy in which a naive flight attendant was chased around his office in the Court and escaped before she could be molested."</ref><ref>Shotwell, C.''[https://books.google.com/books?id=sfyOAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT131 When Labels Fail: Politics, Values, and Ideology on the Supreme Court]'', p. 131 (Xlibris 2006): "By the moral climate of the time, his divorcing and marrying three times while on the Court was considered scandalous. His reputed philandering while on the Court did not help. But the House Judiciary Committee, controlled by a Democratic majority, found insufficient grounds for impeachment."</ref>{{Self-published inline|certain=yes|date=December 2017}} (1960s) ==1970–1979== -* [[Wilbur Mills]], Representative (Democrat-[[Arkansas]]) — was found intoxicated with stripper [[Fanne Foxe]]. He was re-elected but resigned from his position as Chairman of the [[United States House Committee on Ways and Means]] in 1974 after giving an intoxicated press conference from Foxe's burlesque house dressing room.<ref name="'70s 275">{{cite book|title= How We Got Here: The '70s|last= Frum|first= David|author-link= David Frum|year= 2000|publisher= Basic Books|location= New York, New York|isbn= 978-0-465-04195-4|page= [https://archive.org/details/howwegothere70sd00frum/page/275 275]|url-access= registration|url= https://archive.org/details/howwegothere70sd00frum/page/275}}</ref> -* [[Allan Howe]], Representative (Democrat-Utah) — was arrested in 1976 for soliciting two police officers posing as prostitutes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/articles/news/politics/2008/03/11/a-timeline-of-politicians-and-prostitutes.html|title= A Timeline of Politicians and Prostitutes, compiled by the library staff of U.S. News & World Report|date= November 3, 2008 |access-date=November 10, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|accessdate=2021-02-20|date=1976-06-11|newspaper=Boca Raton News|page=2|title=New sex scandal hits John Young|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=A9sPAAAAIBAJ&pg=3611,5245921&dq=john%20young%20colleen%20gardner&hl=en|via=Google News Archive Search}}</ref> -* [[Wayne Hays]], Representative (Democrat-[[Ohio]]) — The [[Elizabeth Ray]] sex scandal ended his career in 1976. ''The Washington Post'' reported that Ray had been on the payroll of a committee run by Hays for two years as a clerk-secretary. During that time, she admitted, her job duties were providing Congressman Hays sexual favors: “I can't type, I can't file, I can't even answer the phone.”<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/tours/scandal/elizray.htm |title=Closed Session Romance on the Hill |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=1976-05-23 |access-date=2011-03-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_v18/ai_4190901 |title=Let me say this about that... – what a congressman should do after the FBI videotapes him soliciting a 10-year-old Arab sheik in the Tidal Basin |work=The Washington Monthly |date=1976-05-23 |access-date=2011-03-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311033301/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_v18/ai_4190901 |archive-date=March 11, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,947699,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050327013009/http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,947699,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 27, 2005 |title=CONGRESS: Indecent Exposure on Capitol Hill |magazine=Time |date=1976-06-07 |access-date=2011-03-08}}</ref> -* [[Fred Richmond]], Representative (Democrat-New York) — In 1978, charges that he solicited sex from a 16-year-old boy were dropped after he submitted to counseling.<ref>"Heading South", Page Six, ''New York Post'', February 24, 2009</ref> -* [[Robert L. Leggett]], Representative (Democrat-[[California]]) — acknowledged that he fathered two illegitimate children by a Congressional secretary, whom he supported financially. He then had an affair with another woman, who was an aide to Speaker Carl Albert (1976).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/congsexscandals.html |title=FindLaw's Writ – Dean: Chronology of Congressional Sex Scandals |publisher=Writ.news.findlaw.com |access-date=2011-03-08}}</ref> -* [[Joseph P. Wyatt Jr.]], Representative (Democrat-Texas) — was arrested on charges of homosexual offenses in 1979.<ref>[[Michael Barone (pundit)|Barone, Michael]]; and Ujifusa, Grant. ''[[The Almanac of American Politics]] 1988'', p. 1166. ''[[National Journal]]'', 1987.</ref> -* [[John Andrew Young]], Representative (Democrat-Texas) — A female staffer alleged she was forced to have sex with Young to keep her job. Young referred to the charge as “poppycock", though his wife committed suicide the following year. Though he ran again, he lost his next primary election. (1976)<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=A9sPAAAAIBAJ&pg=3611,5245921&dq=john+young+colleen+gardner&hl=en | title=Boca Raton News - Google News Archive Search}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9H0oAAAAIBAJ&pg=3086,4538325&dq=john+young+wife+suicide&hl=en | title=Daytona Beach Morning Journal - Google News Archive Search}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fBhPAAAAIBAJ&pg=6923,2462298&dq=joseph+wyatt+primary+runoff&hl=en | title=Toledo Blade - Google News Archive Search}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Wilbur Mills]] of [[Arkansas]] (Democrat) was found intoxicated with [[stripper]] [[Fanne Foxe]]. He was re-elected but resigned from his position as Chairman of the [[United States House Committee on Ways and Means]] in 1974 after giving an intoxicated press conference from Foxe's burlesque house dressing room.<ref name="'70s 275">{{cite book|title= How We Got Here: The '70s|last= Frum|first= David|author-link= David Frum|year= 2000|publisher= Basic Books|location= New York, New York|isbn= 978-0-465-04195-4|page= [https://archive.org/details/howwegothere70sd00frum/page/275 275]|url-access= registration|url= https://archive.org/details/howwegothere70sd00frum/page/275}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Allan Howe]] of Utah (Democrat) was arrested in 1976 for soliciting two police officers posing as prostitutes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/articles/news/politics/2008/03/11/a-timeline-of-politicians-and-prostitutes.html|title= A Timeline of Politicians and Prostitutes, compiled by the library staff of U.S. News & World Report|date= November 3, 2008 |access-date=November 10, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|accessdate=2021-02-20|date=1976-06-11|newspaper=Boca Raton News|page=2|title=New sex scandal hits John Young|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=A9sPAAAAIBAJ&pg=3611,5245921&dq=john%20young%20colleen%20gardner&hl=en|via=Google News Archive Search}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Wayne Hays]] of [[Ohio]] (Democrat) ruined his career in a 1976 sex scandal. ''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported that [[Elizabeth Ray]] had been on the payroll of a committee run by Hays for two years as a clerk-secretary, when in fact her job was providing sexual favors to Hays. Ray admitted, "I can't type, I can't file, I can't even answer the phone."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/tours/scandal/elizray.htm |title=Closed Session Romance on the Hill |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=1976-05-23 |access-date=2011-03-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_v18/ai_4190901 |title=Let me say this about that... – what a congressman should do after the FBI videotapes him soliciting a 10-year-old Arab sheik in the Tidal Basin |work=The Washington Monthly |date=1976-05-23 |access-date=2011-03-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311033301/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_v18/ai_4190901 |archive-date=March 11, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,947699,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050327013009/http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,947699,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 27, 2005 |title=CONGRESS: Indecent Exposure on Capitol Hill |magazine=Time |date=1976-06-07 |access-date=2011-03-08}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Fred Richmond]] of [[New York (state)|New York]] (Democrat) was charged in 1978 with soliciting sex from a 16-year-old boy. Charges were dropped after Richmond submitted to counseling.<ref>"Heading South", Page Six, ''New York Post'', February 24, 2009</ref> +* Rep. [[Robert L. Leggett]] of [[California]] (Democrat) acknowledged that he fathered two illegitimate children with a Congressional secretary, whom he supported financially. He also had an affair with a female aide to Speaker Carl Albert.<ref>{{cite web |title=FindLaw's Writ – Dean: Chronology of Congressional Sex Scandals |url=http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/congsexscandals.html |access-date=2011-03-08 |publisher=Writ.news.findlaw.com}}</ref> (1976) +* Rep. [[Joseph P. Wyatt Jr.]] of [[Texas]] (Democrat) was arrested on charges of homosexual offenses in 1979.<ref>[[Michael Barone (pundit)|Barone, Michael]]; and Ujifusa, Grant. ''[[The Almanac of American Politics]] 1988'', p. 1166. ''[[National Journal]]'', 1987.</ref> +* Rep. [[John Andrew Young]] of Texas (Democrat) allegedly forced a female staffer to have sex with him to keep her job. Young referred to the charge as “poppycock." His wife committed suicide the following year, and Young lost his next primary election.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boca Raton News - Google News Archive Search |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=A9sPAAAAIBAJ&pg=3611,5245921&dq=john+young+colleen+gardner&hl=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Daytona Beach Morning Journal - Google News Archive Search |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9H0oAAAAIBAJ&pg=3086,4538325&dq=john+young+wife+suicide&hl=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Toledo Blade - Google News Archive Search |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fBhPAAAAIBAJ&pg=6923,2462298&dq=joseph+wyatt+primary+runoff&hl=en}}</ref> (1976) ==1980–1989== -* [[Buz Lukens|Donald "Buz" Lukens]] Representative (Republican-Ohio) — convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for having sex with a 16-year-old girl. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and fined $500 in 1989.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 9, 1990 |title=Lukens Loses Ohio Primary; Had Been Tainted in Sex Case |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The New York Times |page=A26 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/09/us/lukens-loses-ohio-primary-had-been-tainted-in-sex-case.html}}</ref> -* [[Robert Bauman]], Representative (Republican-[[Maryland]]) — was charged with attempting to solicit sex from a 16-year-old male prostitute.<ref name="Russakoff-WaPo-4Oct1980">{{cite news | first = Dale | last = Russakoff | title = Bauman Concedes Defeat in Maryland's First Congressional District | newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] | page = A21 | date = November 5, 1980 }}</ref> Upon completing an alcoholism rehabilitation program, the charges were dropped. Bauman apologized to voters for his indiscretions but was defeated for re-election in 1980.<ref name="Russakoff-WaPo-4Oct1980"/> -* [[Jon Hinson]], Representative (Republican-[[Mississippi]]) — Resigned in 1981 after being charged with attempted sodomy for performing [[oral sex]] on a male employee of the [[Library of Congress]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50F17FE385D0C768CDDAB0894D9484D81&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fH%2fHomosexuality |title=Rep. Hinson of Mississippi Arrested in the Capital on a Morals Charge |newspaper=The New York Times |date=1981-02-05 |access-date=2015-07-24}}</ref> (1981) -* [[Thomas B. Evans Jr.|Thomas Evans]], Representative (Republican-[[Delaware]]) — Went golfing in Florida with nude model and lobbyist Paula Parkinson, who later suggested her lobbying techniques had been “unusually tactile.”<ref>{{cite news |author=Peter Overby |date=April 20, 2005 |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4609218|title=The Volatile Mix of Politics and Golf|publisher=NPR}}</ref> Though Evans apologized for any appearance of impropriety, he was voted out of office in 1982. Future Vice-President [[Dan Quayle]] and Congressman [[Tom Railsback]] went on the golf trip as well but were not implicated in the sex.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Republicans in New Orleans: Man in the News; Baby Boomer With Right Credentials: James Danforth Quayle|first=Susan F.|last=Rasky|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/17/us/republicans-new-orleans-man-baby-boomer-with-right-credentials-james-danforth.html?pagewanted=all|date=August 17, 1988|access-date=2009-11-01}}</ref> [[Marilyn Quayle]] said it was common knowledge that her husband would "rather play golf than have sex any day."<ref>Thomma, Steven. [http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2005/08/19/12180/for-politicians-golf-can-prove.html "For politicians, golf can prove a troublesome game"], Knight Ridder (August 19, 2005).</ref> (1981) -* [[John G. Schmitz]], Representative (Republican-California) — Leader of the ultra-conservative [[John Birch Society]];<ref name=warrick>{{cite web |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1998/apr/29/news/ls-45407?pg=3| last=Warrick |first=Pamela |title=The Fall from Spyglass Hill |work=Los Angeles Times |date=April 29, 1998 |access-date=October 22, 2009 |page=3}}</ref> admitted to having a second family but refused to accept or support the two children he produced, who became wards of the state (1982). The story again gained international attention in 1997, when his daughter, [[Mary Kay Letourneau]], was convicted of raping and getting impregnated twice by a 12-year-old boy whom she taught.<ref>[http://www.trutv.com Mary Kay Letourneau] by Denise Noe</ref> -* [[Dan Crane]], Representative, (Republican-[[Illinois]]) — was convicted July 20, 1983, in the [[1983 Congressional Page sex scandal|Congressional Page sex scandal]] for having sex with a 17-year-old congressional page.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> -* [[Gerry Studds]], Representative (Democrat-Massachusetts) — was convicted July 20, 1983, in the Congressional Page sex scandal for having sex with a 17-year-old congressional page (1983).<ref name="ReferenceA">Roberts, Steven V. (1983-07-21). "House Censures Crane and Studds For Sexual Relations With Pages". ''The New York Times'': pp. A1, B22</ref> -* [[Gary Hart]], Senator (Democrat-[[Colorado]]) — was the front-runner for the Democratic nomination in the 1988 presidential elections. He was photographed with model [[Donna Rice]] on a boat named “Monkey Business” during a trip to the Bahamas, raising questions of infidelity. His popularity plummeted, and he soon dropped out. (1987).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.salon.com/2000/09/12/donna/ |title=Donna Rice Hughes says enough is enough |author=Amy Debra Feldman |date=September 12, 2000 |work=[[Salon (website)|Salon.com]] |access-date=July 4, 2014}}</ref> Thirty years later, it was alleged that the photo had been staged in a set-up, orchestrated by the rival campaign of then-Vice President [[George H. W. Bush]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/11/was-gary-hart-set-up/570802/|title=Was Gary Hart Set Up?|last=Fallows|first=James|date=October 16, 2018|work=[[The Atlantic]]|access-date=October 17, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> -* [[Ernie Konnyu]], Representative (Republican-California) — Konnyu was accused of sexual harassment. He had asked a female aide to move a name tag she was wearing because it drew attention to her breasts, about which he later said: “She is not exactly heavily stacked, OK?” In another instance, he reportedly touched the knee of lobbyist Polly Minor during lunch, which caused a scene. GOP leaders were already unhappy with Konnyu's temperament, and in response, they found Stanford professor [[Tom Campbell (California politician)|Tom Campbell]], who ousted Konnyu the following June.<ref>Rudin, Ken. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/congress.htm "Congressional Sex Scandals in History"], ''The Washington Post'' (1998).</ref><ref>Tumulty, Karen. "Konnyu at Center of Political Storm Over Harassment", Lis Angeles Times (October 1, 1987).</ref> (1987) -* [[Barney Frank]], Representative (Democrat-[[Massachusetts]]) — In 1989, was reprimanded by the House for “fixing” 33 parking tickets for Steve Gobie, a male escort who lived with Frank, and claimed to have conducted an escort service from Frank's apartment without his knowledge.<ref>A Skeleton in Barney's Closet Margaret Carlson; Robert Ajemian/Boston and Hays Gorey/Washington September 25, 1989.</ref> -* [[Gus Savage]], Representative (Democrat-Illinois) — In 1989, was accused of trying to force himself on a female [[Peace Corps]] worker while in [[Zaire]].<ref>{{cite news |date=July 20, 1989 |title=Lawmaker is Accused of Sexual Impropriety |author=Michael Oreskes |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/20/us/lawmaker-is-accused-of-sexual-impropriety.html |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> No action was taken by the House Ethics Committee after he apologized to her.<ref>Michael Briggs and Basil Talbott (February 1, 1990), "Ethics panel drops Savage probe", ''Chicago Sun-Times''.</ref> +* Rep. [[Robert Bauman]] of [[Maryland]] (Republican) was charged with attempting to solicit sex from a 16-year-old male prostitute.<ref name="Russakoff-WaPo-4Oct1980">{{cite news | first = Dale | last = Russakoff | title = Bauman Concedes Defeat in Maryland's First Congressional District | newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] | page = A21 | date = November 5, 1980 }}</ref> After Bauman completed an alcoholism rehabilitation program, the charges were dropped. Bauman apologized to voters for his indiscretions but was defeated for re-election. (1980)<ref name="Russakoff-WaPo-4Oct1980" /> +* Rep. [[Jon Hinson]] of [[Mississippi]] (Republican) resigned in 1981 after being charged with attempted sodomy for performing [[oral sex]] on a male employee of the [[Library of Congress]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50F17FE385D0C768CDDAB0894D9484D81&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fH%2fHomosexuality |title=Rep. Hinson of Mississippi Arrested in the Capital on a Morals Charge |newspaper=The New York Times |date=1981-02-05 |access-date=2015-07-24}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Thomas B. Evans Jr.|Thomas Evans]] of [[Delaware]] (Republican) went golfing in Florida with nude model and [[Lobbying|lobbyist]] Paula Parkinson, who later suggested that her lobbying techniques had been "unusually tactile."<ref>{{cite news |author=Peter Overby |date=April 20, 2005 |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4609218|title=The Volatile Mix of Politics and Golf|publisher=NPR}}</ref> Though Evans apologized for any appearance of impropriety, he was voted out of office in 1982. Future Vice-President [[Dan Quayle]] and Congressman [[Tom Railsback]] also went on the golf trip but were not implicated in the scandal; <ref>{{cite news|title=The Republicans in New Orleans: Man in the News; Baby Boomer With Right Credentials: James Danforth Quayle|first=Susan F.|last=Rasky|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/17/us/republicans-new-orleans-man-baby-boomer-with-right-credentials-james-danforth.html?pagewanted=all|date=August 17, 1988|access-date=2009-11-01}}</ref> [[Marilyn Quayle]] said it was common knowledge that her husband would "rather play golf than have sex any day."<ref>Thomma, Steven. [http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2005/08/19/12180/for-politicians-golf-can-prove.html "For politicians, golf can prove a troublesome game"], Knight Ridder (August 19, 2005).</ref> (1981) +* Rep. [[John G. Schmitz]] of California (Republican), the leader of the ultra-conservative [[John Birch Society]]<ref name="warrick">{{cite web |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1998/apr/29/news/ls-45407?pg=3| last=Warrick |first=Pamela |title=The Fall from Spyglass Hill |work=Los Angeles Times |date=April 29, 1998 |access-date=October 22, 2009 |page=3}}</ref>, admitted to having a second family but refused to accept or support the two children he produced, who became wards of the state in 1982. In 1997, his daughter [[Mary Kay Letourneau]] was convicted of raping her 12-year-old male student.<ref>[http://www.trutv.com Mary Kay Letourneau] by Denise Noe</ref> +* Rep. [[Dan Crane]] of [[Illinois]] (Republican) and Rep. [[Gerry Studds]] of Massachusetts (Democrat) were both convicted on 20 July 1983 in the [[1983 Congressional Page sex scandal|Congressional Page sex scandal]] for having sex with a 17-year-old congressional page.<ref name="ReferenceA">Roberts, Steven V. (1983-07-21). "House Censures Crane and Studds For Sexual Relations With Pages". ''The New York Times'': pp. A1, B22</ref> +* Sen. [[Gary Hart]] of [[Colorado]] (Democrat) was the front-runner for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination before being photographed with model [[Donna Rice]] on a boat named ''Monkey Business'' during a trip to the Bahamas, raising questions of infidelity. His popularity plummeted, and he soon dropped out of the race.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.salon.com/2000/09/12/donna/ |title=Donna Rice Hughes says enough is enough |author=Amy Debra Feldman |date=September 12, 2000 |work=[[Salon (website)|Salon.com]] |access-date=July 4, 2014}}</ref> Thirty years later, it was alleged that the photo had been staged in a set-up by the rival campaign of [[George H. W. Bush]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/11/was-gary-hart-set-up/570802/|title=Was Gary Hart Set Up?|last=Fallows|first=James|date=October 16, 2018|work=[[The Atlantic]]|access-date=October 17, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> (1987) +* Rep. [[Ernie Konnyu]] of California (Republican) was accused by multiple women of sexual harassment. In one instance, he asked a female aide to move her name tag because it drew attention to her breasts, about which he later said, "she is not exactly heavily stacked, OK?” He also reportedly touched the knee of lobbyist Polly Minor during lunch, which caused a scene. Republican leaders, already unhappy with Konnyu's temperament, found a new candidate in Stanford professor [[Tom Campbell (California politician)|Tom Campbell]], who defeated Konnyu in the next election.<ref>Rudin, Ken. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/congress.htm "Congressional Sex Scandals in History"], ''The Washington Post'' (1998).</ref><ref>Tumulty, Karen. "Konnyu at Center of Political Storm Over Harassment", Lis Angeles Times (October 1, 1987).</ref> (1987) +* Rep. [[Buz Lukens|Donald "Buz" Lukens]] of Ohio (Republican) was convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for having sex with a 16-year-old girl. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and fined $500. (1989)<ref>{{cite news |date=May 9, 1990 |title=Lukens Loses Ohio Primary; Had Been Tainted in Sex Case |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/09/us/lukens-loses-ohio-primary-had-been-tainted-in-sex-case.html |newspaper=The New York Times |page=A26 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Barney Frank]] of Massachusetts (Democrat) was reprimanded by the House in 1987 for "fixing" 33 parking tickets for Steve Gobie, a male escort who lived with Frank. Gobie claimed to have conducted an escort service from Frank's apartment without Frank's knowledge.<ref>A Skeleton in Barney's Closet Margaret Carlson; Robert Ajemian/Boston and Hays Gorey/Washington September 25, 1989.</ref> +* Rep. [[Gus Savage]] of [[Illinois]] (Democrat) was accused of trying to force himself on a female [[Peace Corps]] worker while in [[Zaire]] in 1989.<ref>{{cite news |date=July 20, 1989 |title=Lawmaker is Accused of Sexual Impropriety |author=Michael Oreskes |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/20/us/lawmaker-is-accused-of-sexual-impropriety.html |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> No action was taken by the House Ethics Committee after Savage apologized to his victim.<ref>Michael Briggs and Basil Talbott (February 1, 1990), "Ethics panel drops Savage probe", ''Chicago Sun-Times''.</ref> ==1990–1999== -* [[Arlan Stangeland]], U.S. House of Representatives (1977–1991), (Republican-[[Minnesota]]) — Lost his campaign for re-election in 1990, mainly because of a scandal, having made several hundred long-distance phone calls on his House credit card to a female lobbyist in Virginia. He admitted making the calls but denied having a romantic relationship with the woman. After his loss, he subsequently retired from politics.<ref name=Rasky>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/11/08/us/1990-elections-four-issues-they-played-polls-before-uncertain-voters-ethics.html|title=THE 1990 ELECTIONS Four Issues and How They Played at the Polls Before Uncertain Voters; Ethics: Scandals Costly In Some Races|first=Susan F.|last=Rasky|date=November 8, 1990|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/arlan-stangeland-minnesota-congressman-dies-at-83/2013/07/07/4292bbaa-e686-11e2-a11e-c2ea876a8f30_story.html Obituaries, Arlan Stangeland, Minnesota congressman, dies at 83] Washington Post July 7, 2013,</ref> -* [[Austin J. Murphy]], Representative (Democrat-Pennsylvania) — In 1994, acknowledged fathering a child out of wedlock after a political opponent came forward with a video of Murphy leaving the home of his mistress.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 19, 1994 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19940119&id=PWQlAAAAIBAJ&pg=6373,2166158&hl=en |title=Austin Murphy won't run again |author1=Dennis B. Roddy |author2=David Templeton |name-list-style=amp|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |access-date=July 24, 2015}}</ref> (1990) -* [[Charles S. Robb]], Senator (Democrat-Virginia) — while married to Lynda Bird Johnson, Robb acknowledged drinking champagne and having a nude massage with [[Miss Virginia]] [[Tai Collins]]. Although he denied having an affair, Robb admitted to an "indiscreet friendship." Collins claimed it was an 18-month affair. Soon after, Collins appeared nude in ''[[Playboy]]''.<ref name="Sabato">{{cite news | last = Sabato | first = Larry J. | title = Senator Charles S. Robb and Tai Collins – 1991 | newspaper=The Washington Post | date = 1998-03-27 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/frenzy/robb2.htm | access-date = 2009-01-24}}</ref> (1991) -* [[Brock Adams]], Senator (Democrat-[[Washington (state)|Washington]]) — In 1992, was accused by eight women of committing acts of sexual misconduct, ranging from sexual harassment to rape.<ref>Boardman, D., Gilmore, S., Nalder, E., and Pryne, E. (1992-03-01). [http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19920301&slug=1478550 "8 More Women Accuse Adams—Allegations of Two Decades of Sexual Harassment, Abuse&nbsp;– And a Rape"]. ''The Seattle Times''. Retrieved 2009-07-03.</ref> Adams denied the accusations, there was no criminal prosecution, and he did not run for re-election.<ref>[http://articles.latimes.com/2004/sep/11/local/me-adams11 "Obituaries: Brock Adams, 77; Ended U.S. Senate Reelection Bid After Harassment Reports"], ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' (September 11, 2004).</ref> -* [[Robert Packwood]], Senator (Republican-[[Oregon]]) — Resigned his office in 1995 after 29 women came forward with claims of sexual harassment, abuse, and assaults. His denials of wrongdoing were eventually contradicted by his diaries boasting of his sexual conquests.<ref>''The Washington Post''. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/frenzy/packwood.htm "Senator Robert Packwood's History of Sexual Harassment"]. Retrieved June 21, 2010.</ref> -* [[Ken Calvert]], Representative (Republican-California) — was involved with a prostitute in 1993 but claimed that no money was involved, and he was not arrested.<ref name=Gorman>Tom Gorman, [http://articles.latimes.com/1994-04-27/news/mn-50942_1_riverside-county "Scandal Imperils Young Political Career : Politics: After months of denial, a Riverside congressman admits sexual relations with a known prostitute. 'I was feeling intensely lonely,' he says."], ''Los Angeles Times'', April 27, 1994,</ref> Calvert apologized several months later: "My conduct that evening was inappropriate.... it violated the values of the person I strive to be."<ref name=Gorman /> -* [[Helen Chenoweth-Hage]], Representative (Republican-Idaho) — called for the resignation of [[Bill Clinton]], and then admitted in 1998 to have had a six-year affair with a married rancher before she entered government.<ref>[http://www.newsweek.com/blogs/the-gaggle/2009/06/25/sex-scandals-through-the-years-both-parties-even.html "Sex Scandals Through the Years: Both Parties Even"]. ''Newsweek''. 2009-06-25.</ref> Chenoweth said: "Fourteen years ago, when I was a private citizen and a single woman, I was involved in a relationship that I came to regret, that I'm not proud of.... I only wish I could have learned the lessons sooner."<ref>Verhovek, Sam. [https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/11/us/testing-of-a-president-the-critic-clinton-foe-admits-affair-with-married-man.html "Testing of a President: The Critic; Clinton Foe Admits Affair With Married Man"], ''The New York Times'' (September 10, 1998).</ref> -* [[Bob Barr]], Representative (Republican-[[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]) — had an affair while married to his second wife. Barr was the first lawmaker in either chamber to call for Clinton's resignation due to the [[Lewinsky scandal]]. Barr lost a primary challenge less than three years after the impeachment proceedings (1999).<ref name="Spoiler">McCaffrey, Shannon. [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/22/politics/main4200831.shtml Will Bob Barr be the Ralph Nader of '08?] [[Associated Press]] (via [[CBS News]]), 2008-06-22.</ref> -* [[Dan Burton]], Representative (Republican-[[Indiana]]) — In 1995, speaking of the then-recent affairs of Republican [[Robert Packwood]] and the unfolding experience of Democrat [[Bill Clinton]], Burton stated: “No one, regardless of what party they serve, no one, regardless of what branch of government they serve, should be allowed to get away with these alleged sexual improprieties....” In 1998, ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' printed an article detailing an affair that Burton himself had in 1983, which produced a child. Before publication, Burton admitted to fathering a son with a former state employee.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 22, 1998 |title=Portrait of a political 'pit bull' |author=Russ Baker |work=[[Salon (website)|Salon.com]]|url=https://www.salon.com/1998/12/22/newsa950556369/ |access-date=July 4, 2014}}</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/burton090598.htm Burton Fathered Child in Extramarital Affair] by Edward Walsh, Washington Post, September 8, 1998,</ref> -* [[Bob Livingston|Robert Livingston]], Representative (Republican-[[Louisiana]]) — called for the resignation of [[Bill Clinton]] in 1998, and when his extramarital affairs were leaked, his wife pressed him to resign, and for Livingston to urge Clinton to do likewise.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kurtz |first=Howard |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/flynt121998.htm |title=Larry Flynt, Investigative Pornographer |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 19, 1998 |access-date=June 21, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/livingston122098.htm |date=December 20, 1998 |page=A1 |title=Livingston Quits as Speaker-Designate |author=Eric Pianin |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> -* [[Newt Gingrich]], Representative (Republican-Georgia) and leader of the [[Republican Revolution]] of 1994<ref>news4jax.com, October 28, 2010, "Gingrich Expects 'Republican Revolution'</ref> — Resigned from the House after admitting in 1998 to having had an affair with a staffer while he was married to his (at the time cancer-stricken) second wife, and at the same time he was leading the impeachment of [[Bill Clinton]] for perjury regarding an affair with his intern [[Monica Lewinsky]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Schneider |first=Bill |date=March 9, 2007 |publisher=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/09/gingrich.schneider/index.html |title=Gingrich confession: Clearing the way for a 2008 run? |access-date=2009-12-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Gingrich admits having affair in '90s|agency=Associated Press|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/17527506|access-date=2009-06-07}}</ref> -* [[Henry Hyde]], Representative (Republican-Illinois) — In 1998, [[Salon (website)|Salon.com]] stated that from 1965 to 1969 (before Hyde won federal office), he conducted an extramarital sexual affair with a married woman who had three children from her marriage. Hyde, who was 41 years old and married when the affair occurred, admitted to the affair in 1998, describing the relationship as a “youthful indiscretion.” The revelation of this affair occurred as Hyde spearheaded President Bill Clinton's impeachment hearings over the Monica Lewinsky scandal.<ref>{{cite news |last=Talbot |first=David |url=http://www.salon.com/1998/09/17/cov_16newsb/ |title=This hypocrite broke up my family |work=[[Salon (website)|Salon.com]] |date=September 16, 1998 |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> -* [[Pete Domenici]], Senator (Republican-[[New Mexico]]) — voted for the impeachment of President Bill Clinton in 1998 after his affair with Monica Lewinsky. In 2013, he confessed that in 1978, he fathered a son, [[Adam Laxalt]], outside of his marriage; Adam Laxalt's mother is Michelle Laxalt, the daughter of Senator [[Paul Laxalt]], and a prominent Republican lobbyist.<ref>{{cite news |author=John Robertson |date=February 20, 2013 |title=Ex-Sen. Domenici discloses son born in secrecy |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |url=http://www.abqjournal.com/domenici.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=February 20, 2013 |title=Pete Domenici Acknowledges Son From Extramarital Affair 30 Years Ago |author=Jeri Clausing |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/20/pete-domenici-son_n_2725181.html}}</ref> -* [[Bill Clinton]] (Democrat), the 42nd [[President of the United States]] — Revelations that White House intern [[Lewinsky scandal|Monica Lewinsky]] had oral sex with Clinton in the Oval Office led him to famously declare on TV on January 26, 1998: “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.” The scandal led to impeachment by the House for perjury, for lying about the affair under oath. He was acquitted in the Senate, with 55 senators voting Not Guilty, to 45 senators voting Guilty (falling 22 votes short of the two-thirds necessary to convict).<ref>{{cite book |last=Harris |first=John F. |year=2006 |title=The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House |edition=1st |publisher=Random House Trade Paperbacks |isbn=978-0375760846}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=February 12, 1999 |url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=106&session=1&vote=00017 |title=U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 106th Congress – 1st Session: vote number 17 – Guilty or Not Guilty (Art I, Articles of Impeachment v. President W. J. Clinton) |publisher=United States Senate |access-date=December 17, 2012}}</ref> the state of Arkansas suspended Clinton's law license for five years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/oct/02/duncancampbell|title=Lewinsky scandal ends as Clinton is disbarred|first=Duncan|last=Campbell|date=October 1, 2001|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> In 1998, Clinton admitted to an extramarital affair with [[Gennifer Flowers]].<ref name=rp.x>{{cite news| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E07E4D91739F937A25750C0A96E958260| title=TESTING OF A PRESIDENT: THE ACCUSER; JONES LAWYERS ISSUE FILES ALLEGING CLINTON PATTERN OF HARASSMENT OF WOMEN| work=[[The New York Times]]| date=March 14, 1998| quote=In his January deposition, the President, though finally confirming a sexual encounter with Ms. Flowers, was precise in denying Ms. Willey's report that he had sought to kiss her and feel her breasts| access-date=March 20, 2008 | first=Francis X. | last=Clines}}</ref> -* [[Mel Reynolds]], Representative (Democrat-Illinois) — resigned from Congress in 1995 after a conviction for statutory rape. In August 1994, he was [[indictment|indicted]] for [[rape|sexual assault]] and criminal [[sexual abuse]] for engaging in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old campaign volunteer that began during the 1992 campaign.<ref name="npr">{{cite news | title = The Equal-Opportunity Culture of Corruption | author = Rudin, Ken | date = 2007-06-06 | url = https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10770284 | publisher = NPR | access-date = 2007-07-29}}</ref> Despite the charges, he continued his campaign, and was re-elected that November; he had no opposition.<ref name="npr"/> Reynolds initially denied the charges, which he claimed were racially motivated. On August 22, 1995, he was convicted on 12 counts of sexual assault, obstruction of justice, and solicitation of [[child pornography]]. He resigned his seat on October 1 of that year.<ref name="baic">{{cite web | url=http://baic.house.gov/member-profiles/profile.html?intID=57 | title=Black Americans in Congress - Mel Reynolds | publisher=U.S. House of Representatives | access-date=July 27, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120625032149/http://baic.house.gov/member-profiles/profile.html?intID=57 | archive-date=June 25, 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref> +* Rep. [[Arlan Stangeland]] of [[Minnesota]] (Republican) lost his campaign for re-election in 1990, mainly because of a scandal in which he made several hundred long-distance phone calls on his House credit card to a female lobbyist in Virginia. He admitted making the calls but denied having a romantic relationship with the woman. He subsequently retired from politics.<ref name=Rasky>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/11/08/us/1990-elections-four-issues-they-played-polls-before-uncertain-voters-ethics.html|title=THE 1990 ELECTIONS Four Issues and How They Played at the Polls Before Uncertain Voters; Ethics: Scandals Costly In Some Races|first=Susan F.|last=Rasky|date=November 8, 1990|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/arlan-stangeland-minnesota-congressman-dies-at-83/2013/07/07/4292bbaa-e686-11e2-a11e-c2ea876a8f30_story.html Obituaries, Arlan Stangeland, Minnesota congressman, dies at 83] Washington Post July 7, 2013,</ref> +* Sen. [[Charles S. Robb]] of [[Virginia]] (Democrat), while married to Lynda Bird Johnson, acknowledged drinking champagne and having a nude massage with [[Miss Virginia]] [[Tai Collins]]. Robb denied an affair but admitted to an "indiscreet friendship," while Collins claimed that they had an 18-month affair. Soon after, Collins appeared nude in ''[[Playboy]]''.<ref name="Sabato">{{cite news | last = Sabato | first = Larry J. | title = Senator Charles S. Robb and Tai Collins – 1991 | newspaper=The Washington Post | date = 1998-03-27 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/frenzy/robb2.htm | access-date = 2009-01-24}}</ref> (1991) +* Sen. [[Brock Adams]] of [[Washington (state)|Washington]] (Democrat) was accused by eight women of committing acts of sexual misconduct, ranging from sexual harassment to rape.<ref>Boardman, D., Gilmore, S., Nalder, E., and Pryne, E. (1992-03-01). [http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19920301&slug=1478550 "8 More Women Accuse Adams—Allegations of Two Decades of Sexual Harassment, Abuse&nbsp;– And a Rape"]. ''The Seattle Times''. Retrieved 2009-07-03.</ref> Adams denied the accusations, and there was no criminal prosecution. He did not run for re-election.<ref>[http://articles.latimes.com/2004/sep/11/local/me-adams11 "Obituaries: Brock Adams, 77; Ended U.S. Senate Reelection Bid After Harassment Reports"], ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' (September 11, 2004).</ref> (1992) +* Rep. [[Ken Calvert]] of California (Republican) was involved with a prostitute in 1993 but claimed that no money was involved, and he was not arrested.<ref name="Gorman">Tom Gorman, [http://articles.latimes.com/1994-04-27/news/mn-50942_1_riverside-county "Scandal Imperils Young Political Career : Politics: After months of denial, a Riverside congressman admits sexual relations with a known prostitute. 'I was feeling intensely lonely,' he says."], ''Los Angeles Times'', April 27, 1994,</ref> Calvert apologized several months later, saying, "My conduct that evening was inappropriate.... it violated the values of the person I strive to be."<ref name="Gorman" /> +* Rep. [[Austin J. Murphy]] of [[Pennsylvania]] (Democrat) acknowledged that he fathered a child out of wedlock after a political opponent came forward with a video of Murphy leaving the home of his mistress.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Dennis B. Roddy |author2=David Templeton |name-list-style=amp |date=January 19, 1994 |title=Austin Murphy won't run again |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19940119&id=PWQlAAAAIBAJ&pg=6373,2166158&hl=en |access-date=July 24, 2015 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette}}</ref> (1994) +* Sen. [[Robert Packwood]] of [[Oregon]] (Republican) resigned from office in 1995 after 29 women came forward with claims of sexual harassment, abuse, and assaults. His denials of wrongdoing were eventually contradicted by his diaries boasting of his sexual conquests.<ref>''The Washington Post''. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/frenzy/packwood.htm "Senator Robert Packwood's History of Sexual Harassment"]. Retrieved June 21, 2010.</ref> +* Rep. [[Mel Reynolds]] of Illinois (Democrat) resigned from Congress in 1995 after a conviction for [[statutory rape]]. In August 1994, he was [[indictment|indicted]] for [[rape|sexual assault]] and criminal [[sexual abuse]] for engaging in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old campaign volunteer that began during the 1992 campaign.<ref name="npr">{{cite news |author=Rudin, Ken |date=2007-06-06 |title=The Equal-Opportunity Culture of Corruption |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10770284 |access-date=2007-07-29 |publisher=NPR}}</ref> Despite the charges, he continued his campaign, and was re-elected that November with no opposition.<ref name="npr" /> Reynolds initially denied the charges, which he claimed were racially motivated. On 22 August 1995, he was convicted on 12 counts of sexual assault, obstruction of justice, and solicitation of [[child pornography]]. He resigned his seat on 1 October 1995.<ref name="baic">{{cite web |title=Black Americans in Congress - Mel Reynolds |url=http://baic.house.gov/member-profiles/profile.html?intID=57 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120625032149/http://baic.house.gov/member-profiles/profile.html?intID=57 |archive-date=June 25, 2012 |access-date=July 27, 2012 |publisher=U.S. House of Representatives}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Bob Barr]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] (Republican) had an affair while married to his second wife. Barr was the first lawmaker in either chamber to call for Clinton's resignation due to the [[Lewinsky scandal]]. Barr lost a primary challenge less than three years after the impeachment proceedings. (1998)<ref name="Spoiler">McCaffrey, Shannon. [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/22/politics/main4200831.shtml Will Bob Barr be the Ralph Nader of '08?] [[Associated Press]] (via [[CBS News]]), 2008-06-22.</ref> +* Rep. [[Dan Burton]] of [[Indiana]] (Republican) admitted to fathering a child with a former state employee in 1983. In 1998, ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' printed an article detailing Burton's affair; Burton admitted to the affair before the issue's publication. In 1995, speaking about the sex scandals of [[Robert Packwood]] and [[Bill Clinton]], Burton had stated that no government official "should be allowed to get away with these alleged sexual improprieties."<ref>{{cite news |author=Russ Baker |date=December 22, 1998 |title=Portrait of a political 'pit bull' |url=https://www.salon.com/1998/12/22/newsa950556369/ |access-date=July 4, 2014 |work=[[Salon (website)|Salon.com]]}}</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/burton090598.htm Burton Fathered Child in Extramarital Affair] by Edward Walsh, Washington Post, September 8, 1998,</ref> (1998) +* Rep. [[Bob Livingston|Robert Livingston]] of [[Louisiana]] (Republican) called for the resignation of [[Bill Clinton]] in 1998, after which news of Livingston's own extramarital affairs was leaked. His wife pressed him to resign and to urge Clinton to resign.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kurtz |first=Howard |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/flynt121998.htm |title=Larry Flynt, Investigative Pornographer |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 19, 1998 |access-date=June 21, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/livingston122098.htm |date=December 20, 1998 |page=A1 |title=Livingston Quits as Speaker-Designate |author=Eric Pianin |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Newt Gingrich]] of Georgia (Republican), leader of the [[Republican Revolution]] of 1994<ref>news4jax.com, October 28, 2010, "Gingrich Expects 'Republican Revolution'</ref>, resigned from the House after admitting in 1998 to having had an affair with a staffer while he was married to his second wife. During his affair, Gingrich was leading the impeachment of [[Bill Clinton]] for perjury regarding his affair with [[Monica Lewinsky]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Schneider |first=Bill |date=March 9, 2007 |publisher=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/09/gingrich.schneider/index.html |title=Gingrich confession: Clearing the way for a 2008 run? |access-date=2009-12-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Gingrich admits having affair in '90s|agency=Associated Press|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/17527506|access-date=2009-06-07}}</ref> +* President [[Bill Clinton]] (Democrat) was alleged in 1998 to have had oral sex with White House intern [[Lewinsky scandal|Monica Lewinsky]] in the Oval Office. He declared on TV on 26 January 1998, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky." The scandal led to impeachment by the House for [[perjury]] after lying about the affair under oath. He was acquitted in the Senate with a vote of 55-45.<ref>{{cite book |last=Harris |first=John F. |year=2006 |title=The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House |edition=1st |publisher=Random House Trade Paperbacks |isbn=978-0375760846}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=February 12, 1999 |url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=106&session=1&vote=00017 |title=U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 106th Congress – 1st Session: vote number 17 – Guilty or Not Guilty (Art I, Articles of Impeachment v. President W. J. Clinton) |publisher=United States Senate |access-date=December 17, 2012}}</ref> The state of Arkansas suspended Clinton's law license for five years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/oct/02/duncancampbell|title=Lewinsky scandal ends as Clinton is disbarred|first=Duncan|last=Campbell|date=October 1, 2001|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> In 1998, Clinton also admitted to an extramarital affair with [[Gennifer Flowers]].<ref name="rp.x">{{cite news| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E07E4D91739F937A25750C0A96E958260| title=TESTING OF A PRESIDENT: THE ACCUSER; JONES LAWYERS ISSUE FILES ALLEGING CLINTON PATTERN OF HARASSMENT OF WOMEN| work=[[The New York Times]]| date=March 14, 1998| quote=In his January deposition, the President, though finally confirming a sexual encounter with Ms. Flowers, was precise in denying Ms. Willey's report that he had sought to kiss her and feel her breasts| access-date=March 20, 2008 | first=Francis X. | last=Clines}}</ref> ==2000–2009== -* [[Gary Condit]], Representative (Democrat-California) — His affair with 23-year-old intern [[Chandra Levy]] was exposed after Levy disappeared. Her body was found a year later, and in 2008, an illegal immigrant with no relation to Condit was charged with her murder, but all charges against the suspect were dropped years later. The murder of Chandra Levy remains unsolved.<ref>{{cite news |author=Keith L. Alexander |title=Suspect Pleads Not Guilty; Defense Decries Trial Date |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 28, 2009 |page=B8 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/27/AR2009052701430.html |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> Condit had often demanded that Bill Clinton "come clean" about his affair with [[Monica Lewinsky]]. (2001)<ref>{{cite news |last=Besser |first=James |date=July 20, 2001 |newspaper=[[The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles|Jewish Journal]] |url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/world/article/chandra_levys_jewish_angle_20010720/ |title=Chandra Levy's Jewish Angle |access-date=June 21, 2010}}</ref> -* [[Ed Schrock]], Representative (Republican-Virginia) — Announced he would terminate his 2004 attempt for a third term in Congress after allegedly being caught on tape soliciting sex with men, despite having aggressively opposed various [[LGBT social movements|gay-rights]] issues in Congress, such as [[same-sex marriage]] and gays in the military.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47194-2004Aug30.html |title=Va. Legislator Ends Bid for 3rd Term |author=Michael D. Shear |author2=Chris L. Jenkins |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=August 31, 2004 |page=A02 |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> -* [[Strom Thurmond]], Senator before 1964 (Democrat-South Carolina), after 1964 (Republican-South Carolina) — Despite being a noted segregationist, Thurmond fathered a child, [[Essie Mae Washington-Williams]], with a 16-year-old African American in 1925, who the Thurmond family employed. He was also reported to have sexually assaulted fellow freshman Senator [[Patty Murray]] in the elevator in 1994. (2003)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/16/national/16STRO.html?ex=1231218000&en=0509c5d87e66cd7a&ei=5070 | work=The New York Times | title=Thurmond Kin Acknowledge Black Daughter | first=Michael | last=Janofsky | date=December 16, 2003}}</ref> -* [[Steve LaTourette|Steven C. LaTourette]], Representative (Republican-Ohio) — was elected in 1994 and had voted to impeach Bill Clinton for the [[Lewinsky scandal]]. He had a long-term affair with his chief of staff, Jennifer Laptook, while married. He married Laptook after his divorce. (2003)<ref>Falone, Michael. CBS News. July 2, 2009, Politico, [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/07/02/politics/politico/main5129109.shtml "GOP's Unlucky Class of '94"] Retrieved June 21, 2010.</ref> -* [[Don Sherwood (politician)|Don Sherwood]], Representative (Republican-Pennsylvania) — failed to win re-election following revelations of a five-year extramarital affair with [[Cynthia Ore]], who accused him of physically abusing her. (2004)<ref>Beaucar Valahos, Kelly. June 12, 2006. Fox News. [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,199050,00.html "Don Sherwood Tries to Shake Scandal in Pennsylvania"]. Retrieved June 21, 2010</ref> -*[[Jeff Gannon]] — A conservative blogger who did not qualify for a legitimate [[press pass]] but was routinely allowed to ask “softball” questions at White House press conferences. Further scrutiny revealed that Gannon had posted naked pictures of himself on multiple [[Male prostitution|male escort]] websites. (2005)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jeff Gannon Admits Past 'Mistakes,' Berates Critics (washingtonpost.com)|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36733-2005Feb18.html|access-date=2020-11-22|website=www.washingtonpost.com}}</ref> -* [[Mark Foley]], Representative (Republican-[[Florida]]) — Resigned his House seat when accused of sending sexually explicit e-mails to teenage male congressional pages. He was replaced by [[Tim Mahoney]]. (2006)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-09-29-congressman-resigns_x.htm |title=GOP leaders knew of Foley e-mail in '05 |newspaper=USA Today |date=September 29, 2006 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> -* [[Jim Gibbons (U.S. politician)|Jim Gibbons]], Representative (Republican-[[Nevada]]) — was campaigning for Governor when he walked waitress Chrissy Mazzeo to her car. She claimed he threw her against a wall and threatened to assault her sexually. He claimed she tripped, and he caught her. The civil lawsuit was settled with the payment of $50,000 to Mazzeo. Six weeks later, he was elected governor.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/courts/ex-gov-gibbons-mazzeo-settle-high-profile-lawsuit/ |date=July 18, 2013 | title=Ex-Gov. Gibbons, Mazzeo settle high-profile lawsuit | first=Carri Geer |last=Thevenot | work=Las Vegas Review-Journal}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |work=www.nevadaappeal.com | date=July 19, 2013 |title=Ex-cocktail waitress settles rape-threat lawsuit against former Gov. Jim Gibbons | url=https://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/government/ex-cocktail-waitress-settles-rape-threat-lawsuit-against-former-gov-jim-gibbons/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |work=lasvegassun.com | date=July 19, 2013 |title=Former cocktail waitress settles lawsuit against ex-Nevada governor | agency=Associated Press | url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2013/jul/19/nv-nevada-governor-sued-settlement/}}</ref> -* [[David Vitter]], Senator (Republican-Louisiana) — Took over the House seat of former Congressman [[Bob Livingston|Robert Livingston]], who resigned in 1999 following revelations of an extramarital affair. At the time, Vitter stated, “I think Livingston's stepping down makes a compelling argument that [[Bill Clinton|(Bill) Clinton]] should resign as well....”<ref>{{cite web | date=July 10, 2007 |title=Vitter Flashback: Clinton should resign.|url=http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2007/07/10/14643/vitter-flashback-clinton-should-resign/ |publisher=Think Progress |access-date=2014-07-03}}</ref> Vitter's name was then discovered in the address book of [[Deborah Jeane Palfrey]] (the "D.C. Madam"). (2007)<ref name="CNN 2007">{{cite news |author=Brianna Keilar |author2=Sean Callebs |author3=Steve Brusk |author4=Ninette Sosa |title=Hustler says it revealed senator's link to escort service |publisher=CNN |date=July 10, 2007 |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/10/vitter.madam/index.html |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> -* [[Randall L. Tobias]] (Republican), Deputy [[Secretary of State]] and former "AIDS Czar" appointed by [[George W. Bush]] — Stated that U.S. funds should be denied to countries that permitted prostitution.<ref>{{cite news |last=Donnelly |first=John |date=April 29, 2007 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/04/29/ex_aids_chief_in_escort_flap_called_hypocritical/ |title=Ex-AIDS chief in escort flap called hypocritical; Backed US policy that forbids aid to help prostitutes |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> He resigned on April 27, 2007, after confirming that he had been a customer of [[Deborah Jeane Palfrey]] (the "D.C. Madam").<ref>{{cite web |url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2007/apr/83957.htm |title=Resignation of Ambassador Randall Tobias U.S. State Department |date=2007-04-28}}</ref> -* [[Larry Craig#2007 arrest and consequences|Larry Craig]] (Republican-[[Idaho]]), a U.S. Senator for 18 years — was arrested on June 11, 2007, and charged with lewd conduct arising from his behavior in a men's restroom at the [[Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.idahostatesman.com/2007/09/16/159879/tourists-flock-to-minneapolis.html|title= Tourists flock to Minneapolis airport men's room|author=Jeanne Huff |date=September 17, 2007 |work= Idaho Statesman|access-date=March 10, 2010}}</ref><ref name="auto1">[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,295329,00.html Transcript: Audio interview of Sen. Larry Craig] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070902103836/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,295329,00.html |date=September 2, 2007 }}. (August 30, 2007). ''Fox News'' Retrieved on September 5, 2007.</ref> Craig pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of disorderly conduct; he unsuccessfully sought to withdraw his guilty plea.<ref name="policeRpt">[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928090521/http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/ssi/craig_police_report_082807.pdf Lewd conduct: Report of Sgt. Dave Karsnia #4211, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Police Department.] (June 12, 2007). ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved on August 28, 2007 (Adobe Acrobat Reader required for viewing). ''See also'' [http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0828071craig1.html U.S. senator gets flushed: Republican Larry Craig sought Minnesota airport toilet tryst.] (August 28, 2007). The Smoking Gun. Retrieved on August 28, 2007.</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.startribune.com/587/story/1386023.html | title=Idaho senator fined for lewd behavior at Minneapolis airport | newspaper=[[Minneapolis Star Tribune]] | date=August 28, 2007 | access-date=August 28, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070830155545/http://www.startribune.com/587/story/1386023.html |archive-date = August 30, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|title=Craig Statement on ''Roll Call'' Story |date=August 27, 2007 |publisher=Office of Senator Larry Craig |url=http://craig.senate.gov/releases/pr082707a.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227030031/http://craig.senate.gov/releases/pr082707a.cfm |archive-date=December 27, 2008 }}</ref> He announced his resignation three months later on September 1, 2007. Still, he changed his mind again, although he did not seek re-election in 2008. (2007)<ref>{{cite news|title=Sen. Craig: I'm not gay |work=CBS News |url=http://www.webcastr.com/videos/news-politics/sen.-craig-im-not-gay.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011020504/http://www.webcastr.com/videos/news-politics/sen.-craig-im-not-gay.html |archive-date=October 11, 2008 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/09/craig.plea/index.html Court denies Sen. Craig's effort to withdraw sex-sting plea], CNN (December 9, 2008).</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Senator, Arrested at Airport, Pleads Guilty|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/28/washington/28craig.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 28, 2007 |access-date=October 5, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.rollcall.com/issues/1_1/breakingnews/20354-1.html | title=Craig to Finish Senate Term Despite Losing in Court |work=Roll Call | author=Emily Pierce |date=October 4, 2007 | access-date=October 4, 2007 }}</ref><ref>[http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/c000858/ Larry Craig – U.S. Congress Votes Database] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203181044/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/C000858 |date=December 3, 2011 }}. ''[[The Washington Post]]''.</ref><ref>Newsweek, June 7, 2010 page 58</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=John Bresnahan |date=September 30, 2014 |url=http://www.politico.com/story/2014/09/larry-craig-111500.html |title=Larry Craig fined for misusing funds |newspaper=Politico}}</ref> -* [[Tim Mahoney]], Representative (Democrat-Florida) — was elected to the seat of [[Mark Foley]], who had resigned following sexual harassment charges from his congressional interns. Mahoney ran on a campaign promise to make “a world that is safer, more moral.” In October 2008, he admitted he placed his mistress on his staff and fired her, saying, “You work at my pleasure.” He then admitted to multiple other affairs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rep. Tim Mahoney's wife files for divorce, seeks assets |author=Kit Bradshaw |author2=Tyler Treadway |date=October 20, 2008 |work=Treasure Coast Palm Beach News |location=Florida |url=http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/oct/20/mahoney/ |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> -* [[Vito Fossella]], Representative (Republican-New York) — was arrested for drunken driving. Under questioning, the married Congressman and father of three admitted to an affair with Laura Fay that produced a daughter. (2008)<ref>{{cite news |author=Tom Wrobleski |newspaper=Staten Island Advance |url=http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/05/staten_islands_fossella_admits.html |title=Staten Island's Fossella admits child from affair |date=May 8, 2008| access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> -* [[John Edwards]], Senator (Democrat-North Carolina) — Admitted to an extramarital affair with actress and film producer [[Rielle Hunter]], which produced a child, seriously undercutting his 2008 presidential campaign.<ref>''Chicago Tribune'', January 28, 2010, Section One, Page 14, "John, Elizabeth Edwards separate, friends report</ref> -* [[John Ensign]], Senator (Republican-Nevada) — Resigned his position as chairman of the [[Republican Policy Committee Chairman of the United States Senate|Senate Republican Policy Committee]] on June 16, 2009, after admitting he had an affair with the wife of a close friend, both of whom were working on his campaign.<ref>{{cite news |last=Freking |first=Kevin |date=June 17, 2009 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/feedarticle/8561969 |agency=Associated Press |title=Sen. Ensign admits affair with ex-campaign staffer |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=2009-11-26 }}</ref> Under investigation, he resigned his Senate seat 20 months early in 2011.<ref>'' Chicago Tribune'', April 22, 2011, Section 1, page 17, "Ensign declares he will quit Senate next month"</ref> In 1998, Senator Ensign had called for President [[Bill Clinton]] (Democrat) to resign after admitting to sexual acts with [[Monica Lewinsky]]. (2009)<ref>{{cite news|last=Batt |first=Tony |date=September 11, 1998 |url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/1998/Sep-11-Fri-1998/news/8200206.html |title=Ensign urges Clinton to quit |newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630000231/http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/1998/Sep-11-Fri-1998/news/8200206.html |archive-date=June 30, 2009 }}</ref> -* [[Chip Pickering]], Representative (Republican-Mississippi) — On July 16, 2009, it was announced that his wife had filed an [[Alienation of affections|alienation of affection]] lawsuit against a woman with whom Chip allegedly had an affair.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090716/NEWS/90716027/Ex-Miss.+politician+s+wife+sues+alleged+mistress |author=Jimmie E. Gates |title=Ex-Miss. politician's wife sues alleged mistress |work=Clarion Ledger |date=July 16, 2009 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5iJmxqlEl?url=http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090716/NEWS/90716027/Ex-Miss.%20politician%20s%20wife%20sues%20alleged%20mistress |archive-date=July 16, 2009 |access-date=July 2, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The lawsuit claimed the adulterous relationship ruined the Pickerings' marriage and his political career. (2009)<ref>{{cite news |title=Chip Pickering's wife sues alleged mistress |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25067.html |author=John Bresnahan |date=July 16, 2009 |work=Politico |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> -* [[Mark Sanford]], Governor (Republican-South Carolina) — In June 2009, after having disappeared from the state for nearly a week, Sanford publicly revealed that he had engaged in an [[extramarital affair]]. Sanford had led his staff to believe that he was going hiking on the [[Appalachian Trail]] but went to visit his mistress, Maria Belén Chapur, in [[Argentina]]. While the scandal made national headlines, led to his [[censure]] by the [[South Carolina General Assembly]], and led to his resignation as chair of the [[Republican Governors Association]], Sanford did complete his second term as governor.<ref>{{cite news|last=Vinopal |first=Courtney |date=Sep 11, 2019 |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-does-mark-sanford-believe-where-the-candidate-stands-on-6-issues |title=What does Mark Sanford believe? Where the candidate stands on 6 issues |work=[[PBS NewsHour]] |access-date=April 4, 2021}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Gary Condit]] of California (Democrat) had an affair with 23-year-old intern [[Chandra Levy]], which was exposed after Levy disappeared. Her body was found a year later. The murder of Chandra Levy remains unsolved.<ref>{{cite news |author=Keith L. Alexander |date=May 28, 2009 |title=Suspect Pleads Not Guilty; Defense Decries Trial Date |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/27/AR2009052701430.html |access-date=July 2, 2014 |newspaper=The Washington Post |page=B8}}</ref> In 2008, an illegal immigrant with no relation to Condit was charged with her murder, but all charges against the suspect were dropped years later. (2001) +* Rep. [[Ed Schrock]] of Virginia (Republican) announced that he would terminate his 2004 attempt for a third term in Congress after allegedly being caught on tape soliciting sex with men, despite having aggressively opposed various [[LGBT social movements|gay-rights]] issues in Congress, such as [[same-sex marriage]] and gays in the military.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47194-2004Aug30.html |title=Va. Legislator Ends Bid for 3rd Term |author=Michael D. Shear |author2=Chris L. Jenkins |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=August 31, 2004 |page=A02 |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> +* Sen. [[Strom Thurmond]] of [[South Carolina]] (Democrat pre-1964, Republican post-1964), despite being a noted segregationist, fathered a child, [[Essie Mae Washington-Williams]], with a 16-year-old African American employee in 1925. He was also reported to have sexually assaulted fellow freshman Senator [[Patty Murray]] in the elevator in 1994. (2003)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/16/national/16STRO.html?ex=1231218000&en=0509c5d87e66cd7a&ei=5070 | work=The New York Times | title=Thurmond Kin Acknowledge Black Daughter | first=Michael | last=Janofsky | date=December 16, 2003}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Steve LaTourette|Steven C. LaTourette]] of Ohio (Republican) had a long-term extramarital affair with his chief of staff, Jennifer Laptook. He married Laptook after his divorce. (2003)<ref>Falone, Michael. CBS News. July 2, 2009, Politico, [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/07/02/politics/politico/main5129109.shtml "GOP's Unlucky Class of '94"] Retrieved June 21, 2010.</ref> +* Rep. [[Don Sherwood (politician)|Don Sherwood]] of Pennsylvania (Republican) failed to win re-election following revelations of a five-year extramarital affair with [[Cynthia Ore]], who accused him of physically abusing her.<ref>Beaucar Valahos, Kelly. June 12, 2006. Fox News. [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,199050,00.html "Don Sherwood Tries to Shake Scandal in Pennsylvania"]. Retrieved June 21, 2010</ref> (2004) +* Rep. [[Mark Foley]] of Florida (Republican) resigned his House seat when accused of sending sexually explicit e-mails to teenage male congressional pages. He was replaced by [[Tim Mahoney]].<ref>{{cite news |date=September 29, 2006 |title=GOP leaders knew of Foley e-mail in '05 |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-09-29-congressman-resigns_x.htm |access-date=July 2, 2014 |newspaper=USA Today |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> (2006) +* Rep. [[Jim Gibbons (U.S. politician)|Jim Gibbons]] of [[Nevada]] (Republican) was campaigning for governor when he walked waitress Chrissy Mazzeo to her car. She claimed he threw her against a wall and threatened to assault her sexually. He claimed she tripped, and he caught her. The civil lawsuit was settled with the payment of $50,000 to Mazzeo. Six weeks later, he was elected governor.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/courts/ex-gov-gibbons-mazzeo-settle-high-profile-lawsuit/ |date=July 18, 2013 | title=Ex-Gov. Gibbons, Mazzeo settle high-profile lawsuit | first=Carri Geer |last=Thevenot | work=Las Vegas Review-Journal}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |work=www.nevadaappeal.com | date=July 19, 2013 |title=Ex-cocktail waitress settles rape-threat lawsuit against former Gov. Jim Gibbons | url=https://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/government/ex-cocktail-waitress-settles-rape-threat-lawsuit-against-former-gov-jim-gibbons/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |work=lasvegassun.com | date=July 19, 2013 |title=Former cocktail waitress settles lawsuit against ex-Nevada governor | agency=Associated Press | url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2013/jul/19/nv-nevada-governor-sued-settlement/}}</ref> (2006) +* Sen. [[David Vitter]] of Louisiana (Republican) took over the seat of former Rep. [[Bob Livingston|Robert Livingston]], who resigned in 1999 following revelations of an extramarital affair. At the time, Vitter stated, "I think Livingston's stepping down makes a compelling argument that [[Bill Clinton|(Bill) Clinton]] should resign as well."<ref>{{cite web | date=July 10, 2007 |title=Vitter Flashback: Clinton should resign.|url=http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2007/07/10/14643/vitter-flashback-clinton-should-resign/ |publisher=Think Progress |access-date=2014-07-03}}</ref> Vitter's name was then discovered in the address book of [[Deborah Jeane Palfrey]] (the "D.C. Madam").<ref name="CNN 2007">{{cite news |author=Brianna Keilar |author2=Sean Callebs |author3=Steve Brusk |author4=Ninette Sosa |date=July 10, 2007 |title=Hustler says it revealed senator's link to escort service |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/10/vitter.madam/index.html |access-date=July 2, 2014 |publisher=CNN}}</ref> (2007) +* Deputy [[Secretary of State]] [[Randall L. Tobias]] (Republican) resigned on 27 April 2007, after confirming that he had been a customer of [[Deborah Jeane Palfrey]] (the "D.C. Madam").<ref>{{cite web |date=2007-04-28 |title=Resignation of Ambassador Randall Tobias U.S. State Department |url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2007/apr/83957.htm}}</ref> As the former "[[Office of National AIDS Policy|AIDS Czar]]" appointed by [[George W. Bush]], Tobias had stated that U.S. funds should be denied to [[Prostitution law|countries that permitted prostitution]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Donnelly |first=John |date=April 29, 2007 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/04/29/ex_aids_chief_in_escort_flap_called_hypocritical/ |title=Ex-AIDS chief in escort flap called hypocritical; Backed US policy that forbids aid to help prostitutes |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> +* Sen. [[Larry Craig#2007 arrest and consequences|Larry Craig]] of [[Idaho]] (Republican) was arrested on 11 June 2007 and charged with lewd conduct arising from his behavior in a men's restroom at the [[Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.idahostatesman.com/2007/09/16/159879/tourists-flock-to-minneapolis.html|title= Tourists flock to Minneapolis airport men's room|author=Jeanne Huff |date=September 17, 2007 |work= Idaho Statesman|access-date=March 10, 2010}}</ref><ref name="auto1">[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,295329,00.html Transcript: Audio interview of Sen. Larry Craig] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070902103836/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,295329,00.html |date=September 2, 2007 }}. (August 30, 2007). ''Fox News'' Retrieved on September 5, 2007.</ref> Craig pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of disorderly conduct; he unsuccessfully sought to withdraw his guilty plea.<ref name="policeRpt">[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928090521/http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/ssi/craig_police_report_082807.pdf Lewd conduct: Report of Sgt. Dave Karsnia #4211, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Police Department.] (June 12, 2007). ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved on August 28, 2007 (Adobe Acrobat Reader required for viewing). ''See also'' [http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0828071craig1.html U.S. senator gets flushed: Republican Larry Craig sought Minnesota airport toilet tryst.] (August 28, 2007). The Smoking Gun. Retrieved on August 28, 2007.</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.startribune.com/587/story/1386023.html | title=Idaho senator fined for lewd behavior at Minneapolis airport | newspaper=[[Minneapolis Star Tribune]] | date=August 28, 2007 | access-date=August 28, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070830155545/http://www.startribune.com/587/story/1386023.html |archive-date = August 30, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|title=Craig Statement on ''Roll Call'' Story |date=August 27, 2007 |publisher=Office of Senator Larry Craig |url=http://craig.senate.gov/releases/pr082707a.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227030031/http://craig.senate.gov/releases/pr082707a.cfm |archive-date=December 27, 2008 }}</ref> He announced his resignation on 1 September 2007 but changed his mind. He did not seek re-election in 2008.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sen. Craig: I'm not gay |work=CBS News |url=http://www.webcastr.com/videos/news-politics/sen.-craig-im-not-gay.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011020504/http://www.webcastr.com/videos/news-politics/sen.-craig-im-not-gay.html |archive-date=October 11, 2008 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/09/craig.plea/index.html Court denies Sen. Craig's effort to withdraw sex-sting plea], CNN (December 9, 2008).</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Senator, Arrested at Airport, Pleads Guilty|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/28/washington/28craig.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 28, 2007 |access-date=October 5, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.rollcall.com/issues/1_1/breakingnews/20354-1.html | title=Craig to Finish Senate Term Despite Losing in Court |work=Roll Call | author=Emily Pierce |date=October 4, 2007 | access-date=October 4, 2007 }}</ref><ref>[http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/c000858/ Larry Craig – U.S. Congress Votes Database] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203181044/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/C000858 |date=December 3, 2011 }}. ''[[The Washington Post]]''.</ref><ref>Newsweek, June 7, 2010 page 58</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=John Bresnahan |date=September 30, 2014 |url=http://www.politico.com/story/2014/09/larry-craig-111500.html |title=Larry Craig fined for misusing funds |newspaper=Politico}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Tim Mahoney]] of Florida (Democrat) was elected to the seat of Rep. [[Mark Foley]], who had resigned following sexual harassment charges. Mahoney ran on a campaign promise to make "a world that is safer, more moral." In October 2008, he admitted placing his mistress on his staff and then firing her, telling her, "You work at my pleasure." He also admitted to other affairs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rep. Tim Mahoney's wife files for divorce, seeks assets |author=Kit Bradshaw |author2=Tyler Treadway |date=October 20, 2008 |work=Treasure Coast Palm Beach News |location=Florida |url=http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/oct/20/mahoney/ |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Vito Fossella]] of New York (Republican) was arrested for drunken driving in 2008. Under questioning, the married Congressman and father of three admitted to an affair with Laura Fay that produced a daughter.<ref>{{cite news |author=Tom Wrobleski |newspaper=Staten Island Advance |url=http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/05/staten_islands_fossella_admits.html |title=Staten Island's Fossella admits child from affair |date=May 8, 2008| access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> +* Sen. [[John Edwards]] of [[North Carolina]] (Democrat) admitted to an extramarital affair with actress and film producer [[Rielle Hunter]], which produced a child. The scandal seriously undercut his [[2008 United States presidential election|2008 presidential campaign]].<ref>''Chicago Tribune'', January 28, 2010, Section One, Page 14, "John, Elizabeth Edwards separate, friends report</ref> +* Sen. [[John Ensign]] of Nevada (Republican) resigned his position as chairman of the [[Republican Policy Committee Chairman of the United States Senate|Senate Republican Policy Committee]] on 16 June 2009 after admitting an affair with the wife of a close friend, both of whom were working on his campaign.<ref>{{cite news |last=Freking |first=Kevin |date=June 17, 2009 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/feedarticle/8561969 |agency=Associated Press |title=Sen. Ensign admits affair with ex-campaign staffer |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=2009-11-26 }}</ref> In 2011, while under investigation, he resigned his Senate seat.<ref>'' Chicago Tribune'', April 22, 2011, Section 1, page 17, "Ensign declares he will quit Senate next month"</ref> +* Rep. [[Chip Pickering]] of Mississippi (Republican) lost his marriage and political career after an extramarital affair, according to the [[Alienation of affections|alienation of affection]] lawsuit that his wife filed on 16 July 2009 against his alleged mistress.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090716/NEWS/90716027/Ex-Miss.+politician+s+wife+sues+alleged+mistress |author=Jimmie E. Gates |title=Ex-Miss. politician's wife sues alleged mistress |work=Clarion Ledger |date=July 16, 2009 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5iJmxqlEl?url=http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090716/NEWS/90716027/Ex-Miss.%20politician%20s%20wife%20sues%20alleged%20mistress |archive-date=July 16, 2009 |access-date=July 2, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Chip Pickering's wife sues alleged mistress |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25067.html |author=John Bresnahan |date=July 16, 2009 |work=Politico |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> +* Gov. [[Mark Sanford]] of South Carolina (Republican) disappeared from the state for nearly a week in June 2009. After returning, Sanford publicly revealed that he had engaged in an [[extramarital affair]]. Sanford had led his staff to believe that he was going hiking on the [[Appalachian Trail]] but went to visit his mistress, Maria Belén Chapur, in [[Argentina]]. The scandal led to his [[censure]] by the [[South Carolina General Assembly]] and his resignation as chair of the [[Republican Governors Association]]. However, Sanford completed his second term as governor.<ref>{{cite news|last=Vinopal |first=Courtney |date=Sep 11, 2019 |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-does-mark-sanford-believe-where-the-candidate-stands-on-6-issues |title=What does Mark Sanford believe? Where the candidate stands on 6 issues |work=[[PBS NewsHour]] |access-date=April 4, 2021}}</ref> == 2010–2019 == {{further|2017–18 United States political sexual scandals}} -* [[Jack Tarpley Camp Jr.]], (R) Judge of the U.S. District Court for the North District of Georgia — Pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a felon's possession of a controlled substance and to two misdemeanors: illegally giving a stripper his government-issued laptop and possession of illegal drugs. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 400 hours of community service, and resignation from the bench. (2010)<ref>{{cite news | publisher = ajc.com | date = Nov 19, 2010 | title = Federal judge pleads guilty to drug charge | author = Bill Rankin, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | url = https://www.ajc.com/news/local/federal-judge-pleads-guilty-drug-charge/d6CUMdWCS9XqVQPlPJKg0K/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Federal judge pleads guilty to helping stripper buy drugs |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AJ00M20101120 |publisher=[[Reuters]] |date=November 19, 2010 |access-date=November 20, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | publisher = ajc.com | date = March 11, 2011 | title = Ex-judge Camp sentenced to 30 days in prison | author = Bill Rankin, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | url = http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/ex-judge-camp-sentenced-to-30-days-in-prison/nQrRq/}}</ref> +* Judge [[Jack Tarpley Camp Jr.]] (Republican) of the [[United States district court|U.S. District Court]] for the North District of Georgia pleaded guilty in 2010 to charges that included giving his government-issued laptop to a stripper. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 400 hours of community service, and resignation from the bench.<ref>{{cite news | publisher = ajc.com | date = Nov 19, 2010 | title = Federal judge pleads guilty to drug charge | author = Bill Rankin, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | url = https://www.ajc.com/news/local/federal-judge-pleads-guilty-drug-charge/d6CUMdWCS9XqVQPlPJKg0K/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Federal judge pleads guilty to helping stripper buy drugs |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AJ00M20101120 |publisher=[[Reuters]] |date=November 19, 2010 |access-date=November 20, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | publisher = ajc.com | date = March 11, 2011 | title = Ex-judge Camp sentenced to 30 days in prison | author = Bill Rankin, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | url = http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/ex-judge-camp-sentenced-to-30-days-in-prison/nQrRq/}}</ref> -* [[Eric Massa]], Representative (Democrat-New York) — Resigned to avoid an ethics investigation into his admitted groping and tickling of multiple male staffers. He later stated on Fox News: “Not only did I grope [a staffer], I tickled him until he couldn't breathe…” (2010)<ref>{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Donna |date=March 9, 2010 |title=Eric Massa Resigns to Avoid Ethics Probe |publisher=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-massa-idUSTRE6282KG20100309 |access-date=July 2, 2014 |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714212700/http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/03/09/us-usa-congress-massa-idUSTRE6282KG20100309 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902157.html |title=Massa investigated for allegedly groping staffers |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2010-03-10 | first=Carol D. | last=Leonnig |access-date=2010-03-20 }}</ref> +* Rep. [[Eric Massa]] of New York (Democrat) resigned in 2010 to avoid an ethics investigation into his admitted groping and tickling of multiple male staffers. He later stated on Fox News, "Not only did I grope [a staffer], I tickled him until he couldn't breathe."<ref>{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Donna |date=March 9, 2010 |title=Eric Massa Resigns to Avoid Ethics Probe |publisher=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-massa-idUSTRE6282KG20100309 |access-date=July 2, 2014 |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714212700/http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/03/09/us-usa-congress-massa-idUSTRE6282KG20100309 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902157.html |title=Massa investigated for allegedly groping staffers |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2010-03-10 | first=Carol D. | last=Leonnig |access-date=2010-03-20 }}</ref> -* [[Mark Souder]], Representative (Republican-Indiana) — was a staunch [[advocate]] of [[abstinence]] and [[family values]],<ref>{{cite news |author=David Weigel |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-now/2010/05/rep_mark_souder_will_resign_af.html |title=What does Mark Souder's resignation mean for abstinence education? |date=May 18, 2010 |publisher=The Washington Post Right Now blog|access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Matt Loffman |url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2010/05/indiana-gop-congressman-to-resign-amid-affair-with-staffer.html |title=Indiana GOP Congressman to resign amid affair with staffer |date=May 18, 2010 |work=ABC News |access-date=July 2, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402115747/http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2010/05/indiana-gop-congressman-to-resign-amid-affair-with-staffer.html |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Souder resigned to avoid an ethics investigation into his admitted [[extramarital affair]] with a female staffer. (2010)<ref>{{cite news |title=Mark Souder's Downfall |author=E.J. Dionne |date=May 24, 2010 |url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/05/24/mark_souders_downfall.html |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first1=John |last1=Bresnahan |last2=Allen |first2=Mike |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/37400.html |title=Rep. Mark Souder on Affair With Aide: 'I have sinned' |newspaper=Politico |date=May 18, 2010 |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Rep. Mark Souder to resign amid affair with staffer |publisher=Fox News |last1=Pergram |first1=Chad |first2=Steve |last2=Brown |date=May 18, 2010 |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/18/fox-exclusive-rep-mark-souder-to-resign-amid-affair-with-staffer/ |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Mark Souder]] of Indiana (Republican), a staunch [[advocate]] of [[abstinence]] and [[family values]],<ref>{{cite news |author=David Weigel |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-now/2010/05/rep_mark_souder_will_resign_af.html |title=What does Mark Souder's resignation mean for abstinence education? |date=May 18, 2010 |publisher=The Washington Post Right Now blog|access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Matt Loffman |url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2010/05/indiana-gop-congressman-to-resign-amid-affair-with-staffer.html |title=Indiana GOP Congressman to resign amid affair with staffer |date=May 18, 2010 |work=ABC News |access-date=July 2, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402115747/http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2010/05/indiana-gop-congressman-to-resign-amid-affair-with-staffer.html |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> resigned in 2010 to avoid an ethics investigation into his admitted [[extramarital affair]] with a female staffer.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mark Souder's Downfall |author=E.J. Dionne |date=May 24, 2010 |url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/05/24/mark_souders_downfall.html |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first1=John |last1=Bresnahan |last2=Allen |first2=Mike |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/37400.html |title=Rep. Mark Souder on Affair With Aide: 'I have sinned' |newspaper=Politico |date=May 18, 2010 |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Rep. Mark Souder to resign amid affair with staffer |publisher=Fox News |last1=Pergram |first1=Chad |first2=Steve |last2=Brown |date=May 18, 2010 |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/18/fox-exclusive-rep-mark-souder-to-resign-amid-affair-with-staffer/ |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> -* [[Chris Lee (New York politician)|Chris Lee]], Representative (Republican-New York) — Resigned hours after a news report stated that he had sent a shirtless picture of himself flexing his muscles to a woman via Craigslist, along with flirtatious e-mails.<ref>{{cite news |author=Chris Cillizza |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/house/new-york-rep-chris-lee-resigns.html |title=The Fix – New York Rep. Chris Lee resigns from the House |publisher=The Washington Post The Fix blog |date=February 9, 2011 |access-date=2011-03-08}}</ref> He did not rely on a [[pseudonym]] or a false e-mail address, but used his official Congressional e-mail for all communication. Lee said: “I regret the harm my actions have caused my family, staff, and constituents.... I have made profound mistakes and promise to work as hard as possible to seek their forgiveness.”<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/us/politics/10lee.html?hp|title=New York Congressman Resigns Over E-Mails|author=Hernandez, Raymond|date=February 9, 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=February 10, 2011}}</ref> (2011) +* Rep. [[Chris Lee (New York politician)|Chris Lee]] of New York (Republican) resigned in 2011 after a news report stated that he had sent flirtatious emails and a shirtless picture of himself flexing his muscles to a woman via [[Craigslist]] using his official Congressional email.<ref>{{cite news |author=Chris Cillizza |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/house/new-york-rep-chris-lee-resigns.html |title=The Fix – New York Rep. Chris Lee resigns from the House |publisher=The Washington Post The Fix blog |date=February 9, 2011 |access-date=2011-03-08}}</ref> Lee apologizing, stating, "I regret the harm my actions have caused my family, staff, and constituents.... I have made profound mistakes and promise to work as hard as possible to seek their forgiveness."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/us/politics/10lee.html?hp|title=New York Congressman Resigns Over E-Mails|author=Hernandez, Raymond|date=February 9, 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=February 10, 2011}}</ref> -* [[Anthony Weiner sexting scandal|Anthony Weiner]], Representative (Democrat-New York) — Admitted to sending sexually-explicit photos of himself to several women through his [[Twitter]] account.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/43299964/ns/politics-capitol_hill |title=New York Congressman: 'The Picture Was Of Me, I Sent It' |publisher=MSNBC |date=June 6, 2011 |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> He resigned from Congress on June 16, 2011,<ref name="WSJresign">{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304186404576389422646672178?KEYWORDS=anthony+weiner |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=June 16, 2011 |title=Weiner Calling It Quits: Lawmaker's Resolve to Keep Seat Withered Under Pressure From Top Democrats|first=Devlin |last=Barrett |access-date=2011-06-17}}</ref> but kept [[sexting]] after his resignation.<ref>Zapler, Mike and Glueck, Katie. [http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/anthony-weiner-apology-94626_Page2.html "Anthony Weiner kept sexting after resignation"], Politico (July 23, 2013).</ref> (2011) On November 6, 2017, Weiner began serving a 21-month sentence for sexting a 15-year-old girl.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 6, 2017 |title=Anthony Weiner Begins Serving Prison Sentence For Sexting Teen Girl |publisher=[[WLNY-TV]] |url=https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/11/06/anthony-weiner-prison}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Anthony Weiner sexting scandal|Anthony Weiner]] of New York (Democrat) admitted to sending [[Dick pic|sexually explicit photos of himself]] to several women through his [[Twitter]] account.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/43299964/ns/politics-capitol_hill |title=New York Congressman: 'The Picture Was Of Me, I Sent It' |publisher=MSNBC |date=June 6, 2011 |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> He resigned from Congress on 16 June 2011,<ref name="WSJresign">{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304186404576389422646672178?KEYWORDS=anthony+weiner |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=June 16, 2011 |title=Weiner Calling It Quits: Lawmaker's Resolve to Keep Seat Withered Under Pressure From Top Democrats|first=Devlin |last=Barrett |access-date=2011-06-17}}</ref> but he continued [[sexting]].<ref>Zapler, Mike and Glueck, Katie. [http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/anthony-weiner-apology-94626_Page2.html "Anthony Weiner kept sexting after resignation"], Politico (July 23, 2013).</ref> On 6 November 2017, Weiner began serving a 21-month sentence for sexting a 15-year-old girl.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 6, 2017 |title=Anthony Weiner Begins Serving Prison Sentence For Sexting Teen Girl |publisher=[[WLNY-TV]] |url=https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/11/06/anthony-weiner-prison}}</ref> -* [[Scott DesJarlais#Controversies|Scott DesJarlais]], Representative (Republican-Tennessee) — Admitted under oath to at least six affairs, including two experiences with his patients and staffers. At the same time, he was a physician at Grandview Medical Center in Jasper, TN. Additionally, while running on a [[pro-life]] political platform, DesJarlais coerced his ex-wife into having two abortions, and tried to persuade a mistress, who was his patient, into an abortion as well.<ref name="Michael McAuliff">{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/15/scott-desjarlais-approved_n_2140171.html |title=Scott DesJarlais Approved Wife's Abortion, Slept With Coworkers, Patients, Court Records Say |author= Michael McAuliff |date=November 16, 2012 |work=The Huffington Post |access-date=December 25, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/may/24/desjarlais-fined-for-sex-with-2-patients/ |title=U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais fined for sex with 2 patients |newspaper=Times Free Press |date= 2013-05-24|access-date=August 8, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/nov/15/scott-desjarlais-supported-abortions-slept-patient|title=Scott DesJarlais supported ex-wife's abortions, slept with patients, divorce transcript shows|author1=Chris Carroll|author2=Kate Harrison|newspaper=[[Chattanooga Times Free Press]]|date=November 15, 2012}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Scott DesJarlais#Controversies|Scott DesJarlais]] of [[Tennessee]] (Republican) admitted under oath to at least six affairs, including two experiences with his patients and staffers, while he was a physician at Grandview Medical Center in [[Jasper, Tennessee|Jasper, TN]]. While running on a [[pro-life]] political platform, DesJarlais coerced his ex-wife into having two [[Abortion|abortions]] and tried to persuade a mistress, who was also his patient, into an abortion as well.<ref name="Michael McAuliff">{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/15/scott-desjarlais-approved_n_2140171.html |title=Scott DesJarlais Approved Wife's Abortion, Slept With Coworkers, Patients, Court Records Say |author= Michael McAuliff |date=November 16, 2012 |work=The Huffington Post |access-date=December 25, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/may/24/desjarlais-fined-for-sex-with-2-patients/ |title=U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais fined for sex with 2 patients |newspaper=Times Free Press |date= 2013-05-24|access-date=August 8, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/nov/15/scott-desjarlais-supported-abortions-slept-patient|title=Scott DesJarlais supported ex-wife's abortions, slept with patients, divorce transcript shows|author1=Chris Carroll|author2=Kate Harrison|newspaper=[[Chattanooga Times Free Press]]|date=November 15, 2012}}</ref> (2011) -* [[David Wu#Resignation|David Wu]], Representative (Democrat-Oregon) — On July 26, 2011, Wu resigned from the House of Representatives after being accused of making unwanted sexual advances toward a [[fundraiser]]'s daughter.<ref>{{cite news |author=John Bresnahan |date=July 26, 2011 |title=David Wu resigns |work=Politico |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/59932.html |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref><ref name=pope>{{cite news|access-date=July 27, 2011|author2=Janie Har|author3=Beth Slovic|date=July 26, 2011|first=Charles|last=Pope|newspaper=[[The Oregonian]]|title=Rep. David Wu boxed in by ethics investigation, forced to resign after pressure from colleagues|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/07/rep_david_wu_boxed_in_and_forc.html}} +* Rep. [[David Wu#Resignation|David Wu]] of Oregon (Democrat) resigned from the House on 26 July 2011 after being accused of making unwanted sexual advances toward a [[fundraiser]]'s daughter.<ref>{{cite news |author=John Bresnahan |date=July 26, 2011 |title=David Wu resigns |work=Politico |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/59932.html |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref><ref name=pope>{{cite news|access-date=July 27, 2011|author2=Janie Har|author3=Beth Slovic|date=July 26, 2011|first=Charles|last=Pope|newspaper=[[The Oregonian]]|title=Rep. David Wu boxed in by ethics investigation, forced to resign after pressure from colleagues|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/07/rep_david_wu_boxed_in_and_forc.html}} </ref> +* Sen. [[Pete Domenici]] of [[New Mexico]] (Republican) confessed in 2013 that he had fathered a son, [[Adam Laxalt]], outside of his marriage in 1978. Laxalt's mother, Michelle Laxalt, is the daughter of Sen. [[Paul Laxalt]] and a prominent Republican lobbyist.<ref>{{cite news |author=John Robertson |date=February 20, 2013 |title=Ex-Sen. Domenici discloses son born in secrecy |url=http://www.abqjournal.com/domenici.htm |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Jeri Clausing |date=February 20, 2013 |title=Pete Domenici Acknowledges Son From Extramarital Affair 30 Years Ago |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/20/pete-domenici-son_n_2725181.html |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> -* [[Vance McAllister]], Representative (Republican-Louisiana) — Although married and the father of five, was caught on a surveillance camera kissing a married staffer. Several prominent Republicans asked McAllister to resign. In response, he stated he would not seek re-election in 2016.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rep. Vance McAllister kissed. Now can he make up with voters after the scandal? |author=Manuel Roig-Franzia |date=April 16, 2014 |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/rep-vance-mcallister-kissed-now-can-he-make-up-with-voters-after-the-scandal/2014/04/16/9a898fde-c57c-11e3-9f37-7ce307c56815_story.html |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> McCallister said: “There's no doubt I've fallen short, and I'm asking for forgiveness. I'm asking for forgiveness from God, my wife, my kids, my staff, and my constituents who elected me to serve.” (2014)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20140407/NEWS01/140407023/Rep-McAllister-asks-forgiveness-following-video-him-kissing-woman|title=Rep. McAllister asks forgiveness following video of him kissing woman|newspaper=The Alexandria Town Talk |access-date=April 8, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140408061236/http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20140407/NEWS01/140407023/Rep-McAllister-asks-forgiveness-following-video-him-kissing-woman|archive-date=April 8, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Vance McAllister]] of Louisiana (Republican), although married and the father of five, was caught on a surveillance camera kissing a married staffer in 2014. Several prominent Republicans asked McAllister to resign. McAllister did not resign, but he did not seek re-election.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rep. Vance McAllister kissed. Now can he make up with voters after the scandal? |author=Manuel Roig-Franzia |date=April 16, 2014 |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/rep-vance-mcallister-kissed-now-can-he-make-up-with-voters-after-the-scandal/2014/04/16/9a898fde-c57c-11e3-9f37-7ce307c56815_story.html |access-date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> McCallister apologized, saying, "There's no doubt I've fallen short, and I'm asking for forgiveness. I'm asking for forgiveness from God, my wife, my kids, my staff, and my constituents who elected me to serve."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20140407/NEWS01/140407023/Rep-McAllister-asks-forgiveness-following-video-him-kissing-woman|title=Rep. McAllister asks forgiveness following video of him kissing woman|newspaper=The Alexandria Town Talk |access-date=April 8, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140408061236/http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20140407/NEWS01/140407023/Rep-McAllister-asks-forgiveness-following-video-him-kissing-woman|archive-date=April 8, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> -* [[Blake Farenthold]], Representative (Republican-Texas) — was reported to have paid $84,000 of taxpayer money via the House of Representatives Office of Compliance to settle a sexual harassment complaint from a former staffer. Farenthold's former communications director, Lauren Greene, sued the congressman in December 2014,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/blake-farentholds-sexual-harassment-settlement-was-paid-using-taxpayer-funds/|title=Blake Farenthold's sexual harassment settlement was paid using taxpayer funds|access-date=2017-12-02|language=en}}</ref> and a settlement was reached in 2015. The identity of Farenthold concerning taxpayer involvement was made public in 2017. This was the first documented case of taxpayer funds being used to settle sexual harassment complaints against a member of Congress. (2014)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/01/blake-farenthold-taxpayer-funds-sexual-harassment-274458|title=Lawmaker behind secret $84K sexual harassment settlement unmasked|work=Politico |access-date=2017-12-02}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Blake Farenthold]] of Texas (Republican) was reported to have paid $84,000 of taxpayer money via the House Office of Compliance to settle a sexual harassment complaint from a former staffer. Farenthold's former communications director, Lauren Greene, sued the congressman in December 2014,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/blake-farentholds-sexual-harassment-settlement-was-paid-using-taxpayer-funds/|title=Blake Farenthold's sexual harassment settlement was paid using taxpayer funds|access-date=2017-12-02|language=en}}</ref> and a settlement was reached in 2015. The identity of Farenthold was made public in 2017. This was the first documented case of taxpayer funds being used to settle sexual harassment complaints against a member of Congress.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/01/blake-farenthold-taxpayer-funds-sexual-harassment-274458|title=Lawmaker behind secret $84K sexual harassment settlement unmasked|work=Politico |access-date=2017-12-02}}</ref> -* [[Dennis Hastert]], former [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives]] (Republican-Illinois) — Pled guilty to structuring bank withdrawals to conceal deliberately-unspecified misconduct by Hastert against an unnamed individual years earlier.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Chicago Tribune staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Ex-House Speaker Hastert charged with evading currency rules and lying to FBI |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-dennis-hastert-20150528-story.html |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |location=Chicago |date=May 28, 2015 |access-date=2015-05-28}}</ref> At a sentencing hearing in October 2015, Hastert admitted that he had sexually abused boys while he worked as a high school wrestling coach decades earlier. (2015)<ref name="DaveySmithSentencing">Monica Davey & Mitch Smith, [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/09/us/dennis-hastert-molested-at-least-four-boys-prosecutors-say.html Hastert Molested at Least Four Boys, Prosecutors Say], ''The New York Times'' (April 8, 2016).</ref><ref name="TribSentencing">Jason Meisner, Jeff Coen & Christy Gutowski, [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-dennis-hastert-sentencing-20160427-story.html Dennis Hastert, former U.S. House speaker, sentenced to 15 months in prison], ''Chicago Tribune'' (April 27, 2016).</ref> +* Rep. [[Dennis Hastert]] of Illinois (Republican), former [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives]], pled guilty in 2015 to structuring bank withdrawals to conceal misconduct by Hastert against an unnamed individual.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Chicago Tribune staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Ex-House Speaker Hastert charged with evading currency rules and lying to FBI |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-dennis-hastert-20150528-story.html |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |location=Chicago |date=May 28, 2015 |access-date=2015-05-28}}</ref> At a sentencing hearing in October 2015, Hastert admitted that he had sexually abused boys while he worked as a high school wrestling coach decades earlier.<ref name="DaveySmithSentencing">Monica Davey & Mitch Smith, [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/09/us/dennis-hastert-molested-at-least-four-boys-prosecutors-say.html Hastert Molested at Least Four Boys, Prosecutors Say], ''The New York Times'' (April 8, 2016).</ref><ref name="TribSentencing">Jason Meisner, Jeff Coen & Christy Gutowski, [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-dennis-hastert-sentencing-20160427-story.html Dennis Hastert, former U.S. House speaker, sentenced to 15 months in prison], ''Chicago Tribune'' (April 27, 2016).</ref> -* [[Donald Trump]] (Republican), the 45th [[President of the United States]] — was accused of sexual assault by 25 women during the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 election]], and he denied the allegations.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2017/11/22/president-trump-and-accusations-of-sexual-misconduct-the-complete-list/|title=Analysis {{!}} President Trump and accusations of sexual misconduct: The complete list|last=Kelly|first=Meg|date=2017-11-22|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2017-11-29|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> (See [[Donald Trump sexual misconduct allegations]].) The allegations arose after ''[[The Washington Post]]'' released a 2005 video of Trump, recorded on a hot microphone by ''[[Access Hollywood]]'', in which he allegedly bragged about groping women.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-recorded-having-extremely-lewd-conversation-about-women-in-2005/2016/10/07/3b9ce776-8cb4-11e6-bf8a-3d26847eeed4_story.html|title=Trump recorded having extremely lewd conversation about women in 2005|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2017-01-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/08/us/donald-trump-tape-transcript.html|title=Transcript: Donald Trump's Taped Comments About Women|date=2016-10-08|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-11-29|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |newspaper=USA Today |title=Trump calls leaked audio 'locker room talk'|date=2016-10-09|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm-EQzJIgJg |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531232458/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm-EQzJIgJg |archive-date=2019-05-31 |url-status=dead|access-date=2017-01-13}}</ref> Trump himself renewed the controversy a year later by alleging that the video was fake,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/us/politics/trump-access-hollywood-tape.html|title=Trump Once Said the 'Access Hollywood' Tape Was Real. Now He's Not Sure. |last1=Haberman|first1=Maggie|date=2017-11-28|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-11-29|last2=Martin|first2=Jonathan|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> to which ''Access Hollywood'' replied: “Let us make this clear—the tape is genuine. Remember, his excuse at the time was 'locker-room talk.' He said every one of those words.”<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/us/politics/donald-trump-tape.html|title=' Access Hollywood' Reminds Trump: 'The Tape Is Very Real'|last=Victor|first=Daniel|date=2017-11-28|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-11-29|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/access-hollywood-hits-back-report-131410988.html|title=Access Hollywood Hits Back After Report that President Trump Says Leaked Tape Is Fake|access-date=2017-11-29|language=en-US|publisher=[[Yahoo!]]}}</ref> The first reports of an alleged 2006 affair between Donald Trump and adult film star [[Stormy Daniels]] were published in October 2011 by the blog ''The Dirty'' and the magazine ''[[Life & Style (magazine)|Life & Style]]'' (see [[Stormy Daniels–Donald Trump scandal]]).<ref name="wsj2">{{cite news |publisher=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=November 9, 2018 |first1=Joe |last1=Palazzolo |first2=Nicole |last2=Hong |first3=Michael |last3=Rothfeld |first4=Rebecca Davis |last4=O'Brien |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-played-central-role-in-hush-payoffs-to-stormy-daniels-and-karen-mcdougal-1541786601 |title=Donald Trump Played Central Role in Hush Payoffs to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Borchers |first=Callum |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/03/10/stormy-daniels-has-successfully-navigated-the-media-puke-funnel/ |title=Stormy Daniels has successfully navigated the media 'puke funnel' |date=March 10, 2018 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=April 20, 2018}}</ref> +* President [[Donald Trump]] (Republican) was accused of sexual assault by 25 women during the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 election]], and he denied the allegations.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2017/11/22/president-trump-and-accusations-of-sexual-misconduct-the-complete-list/|title=Analysis {{!}} President Trump and accusations of sexual misconduct: The complete list|last=Kelly|first=Meg|date=2017-11-22|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2017-11-29|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> (See [[Donald Trump sexual misconduct allegations]].) The allegations arose after ''[[The Washington Post]]'' released a 2005 video of Trump recorded on a hot microphone by ''[[Access Hollywood]]'', in which he allegedly bragged about groping women.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-recorded-having-extremely-lewd-conversation-about-women-in-2005/2016/10/07/3b9ce776-8cb4-11e6-bf8a-3d26847eeed4_story.html|title=Trump recorded having extremely lewd conversation about women in 2005|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2017-01-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/08/us/donald-trump-tape-transcript.html|title=Transcript: Donald Trump's Taped Comments About Women|date=2016-10-08|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-11-29|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |newspaper=USA Today |title=Trump calls leaked audio 'locker room talk'|date=2016-10-09|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm-EQzJIgJg |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531232458/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm-EQzJIgJg |archive-date=2019-05-31 |url-status=dead|access-date=2017-01-13}}</ref> Trump himself renewed the controversy a year later by claiming that the video was fake,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/us/politics/trump-access-hollywood-tape.html|title=Trump Once Said the 'Access Hollywood' Tape Was Real. Now He's Not Sure. |last1=Haberman|first1=Maggie|date=2017-11-28|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-11-29|last2=Martin|first2=Jonathan|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> to which ''Access Hollywood'' replied, "Let us make this clear—the tape is genuine. Remember, his excuse at the time was 'locker-room talk.' He said every one of those words."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/us/politics/donald-trump-tape.html|title=' Access Hollywood' Reminds Trump: 'The Tape Is Very Real'|last=Victor|first=Daniel|date=2017-11-28|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-11-29|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/access-hollywood-hits-back-report-131410988.html|title=Access Hollywood Hits Back After Report that President Trump Says Leaked Tape Is Fake|access-date=2017-11-29|language=en-US|publisher=[[Yahoo!]]}}</ref> The first reports of an alleged 2006 affair between Donald Trump and adult film star [[Stormy Daniels]] were published in October 2011 by the blog ''The Dirty'' and the magazine ''[[Life & Style (magazine)|Life & Style]]'' (see [[Stormy Daniels–Donald Trump scandal]]).<ref name="wsj2">{{cite news |publisher=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=November 9, 2018 |first1=Joe |last1=Palazzolo |first2=Nicole |last2=Hong |first3=Michael |last3=Rothfeld |first4=Rebecca Davis |last4=O'Brien |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-played-central-role-in-hush-payoffs-to-stormy-daniels-and-karen-mcdougal-1541786601 |title=Donald Trump Played Central Role in Hush Payoffs to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Borchers |first=Callum |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/03/10/stormy-daniels-has-successfully-navigated-the-media-puke-funnel/ |title=Stormy Daniels has successfully navigated the media 'puke funnel' |date=March 10, 2018 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=April 20, 2018}}</ref> -* [[Tim Murphy (American politician)|Tim Murphy]], Representative (Republican-Pennsylvania) — Had an extramarital affair with Shannon Edwards, a 32-year-old forensic psychologist. The self-identified "[[pro-life]]" (anti-abortion) Murphy asked Edwards to have an abortion after she became pregnant. The information was revealed as part of Edwards's divorce proceedings and published by the Pittsburgh ''Post-Gazette'' after it fought in Pennsylvania state court to have the documents unsealed. Murphy resigned his seat in Congress. +* Rep. [[Tim Murphy (American politician)|Tim Murphy]] of Pennsylvania (Republican) had an extramarital affair with 32-year-old Shannon Edwards. The self-identified "[[pro-life]]" (anti-abortion) Murphy asked Edwards to have an abortion after she became pregnant. The information was revealed as part of Edwards's divorce proceedings and published by the [[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|Pittsburgh ''Post-Gazette'']]. Murphy resigned his seat in Congress. (2016) -* [[Al Franken]], Senator (Democrat-Minnesota) — was accused by radio newscaster [[Leeann Tweeden]] of forcibly kissing her as part of a skit and later being in a photo pretending to grope her without consent during a U.S.O. tour in 2006. Tweeden produced photo evidence of the pretend grope, taken of Franken when Tweeden was asleep. Franken was subsequently accused of groping and unwanted kissing by 7 other women.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sen. Al Franken's accusers and their allegations against him |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/sen-al-frankens-accusers-accusations-made/story?id=51406862 |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref> Franken admitted to some of the allegations and apologized, and ultimately resigned.<ref>{{Cite news |newspaper=The New York Times|title=Al Franken Issues Apology After Accusation of Forcible Kissing and Groping|date=2017-11-16|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/16/us/politics/al-franken-sexual-harassment-groping-forcible-kissing.html|access-date=2017-11-19}}</ref> Later Franken said he regretted resigning, felt he was denied due process in the Senate, and questioned the veracity of his female accusers, saying "The idea that anybody who accuses someone of something is always right -that's not the case. That isn't reality."<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-07-22 |title=Ex-US Senator Al Franken regrets resigning over sexual misconduct claims |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49074194 |access-date=2023-08-18}}</ref> +* Sen. [[Al Franken]] of [[Minnesota]] (Democrat) was accused in 2017 by radio newscaster [[Leeann Tweeden]] of forcibly kissing her as part of a skit and later pretending to grope her without consent during a [[United Service Organizations|U.S.O.]] tour in 2006. Tweeden produced photo evidence of the pretend grope, taken when Tweeden was asleep. Franken was subsequently accused of groping and unwanted kissing by seven other women.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sen. Al Franken's accusers and their allegations against him |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/sen-al-frankens-accusers-accusations-made/story?id=51406862 |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref> Franken admitted to some allegations, apologized, and ultimately resigned.<ref>{{Cite news |newspaper=The New York Times|title=Al Franken Issues Apology After Accusation of Forcible Kissing and Groping|date=2017-11-16|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/16/us/politics/al-franken-sexual-harassment-groping-forcible-kissing.html|access-date=2017-11-19}}</ref> Later Franken said he regretted resigning and felt that he was denied due process in the Senate. He also questioned the veracity of his female accusers.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-07-22 |title=Ex-US Senator Al Franken regrets resigning over sexual misconduct claims |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49074194 |access-date=2023-08-18}}</ref> -* [[Joe Barton]], Representative (Republican-Texas) — Acknowledged he took and emailed nude photos of himself in 2015, following leaks of the photos in November 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/texas-congressman-apologizes-nude-online-selfie/story?id=51331252|title=Texas congressman apologizes for nude online selfie|last=Parkinson|first=John|date=2017-11-23|work=ABC News|access-date=2017-11-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Deboni |first1=Mike |last2=Viebeck |first2=Elise |title=Texas congressman told woman he would report her to Capitol Police if she exposed his secret sex life |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/nation-world/2017/11/23/texas-congressman-told-woman-he-would-report-her-to-capitol-police-if-she-exposed-his-secret-sex-life/ |website=The Salt Lake Tribune |date=November 22, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |work=www.chicagotribune.com | date=November 30, 2017 | title=Texas Rep. Joe Barton, embarrassed by sex scandal, to retire | first=Will |last=Weissert | agency=Associated Press | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-joe-barton-retires-20171130-story.html}}</ref> He decided not to seek [[2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas#District 6|re-election in 2018]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Leslie |first=Katie |date=November 30, 2017 |title= Rep. Joe Barton: I will not seek re-election|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2017/11/30/rep-joe-barton-will-not-seek-re-election |work=[[Dallas Morning News]] |location=Dallas, TX |access-date=November 30, 2017 }}</ref> +* Rep. [[Joe Barton]] of Texas (Republican) acknowledged that he took and emailed nude photos of himself in 2015, following leaks of the photos in November 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/texas-congressman-apologizes-nude-online-selfie/story?id=51331252|title=Texas congressman apologizes for nude online selfie|last=Parkinson|first=John|date=2017-11-23|work=ABC News|access-date=2017-11-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Deboni |first1=Mike |last2=Viebeck |first2=Elise |title=Texas congressman told woman he would report her to Capitol Police if she exposed his secret sex life |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/nation-world/2017/11/23/texas-congressman-told-woman-he-would-report-her-to-capitol-police-if-she-exposed-his-secret-sex-life/ |website=The Salt Lake Tribune |date=November 22, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |work=www.chicagotribune.com | date=November 30, 2017 | title=Texas Rep. Joe Barton, embarrassed by sex scandal, to retire | first=Will |last=Weissert | agency=Associated Press | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-joe-barton-retires-20171130-story.html}}</ref> He decided not to seek [[2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas#District 6|re-election in 2018]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Leslie |first=Katie |date=November 30, 2017 |title= Rep. Joe Barton: I will not seek re-election|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2017/11/30/rep-joe-barton-will-not-seek-re-election |work=[[Dallas Morning News]] |location=Dallas, TX |access-date=November 30, 2017 }}</ref> -* [[John Conyers Jr.]], US Congressman (Democrat-[[Michigan]]) — A former staffer for Rep. John Conyers Jr. accused the Detroit Democrat of unwanted sexual advances in 2017. A woman who had settled a sexual harassment claim against him stated that the lawmaker had "violated" her body, repeatedly propositioned her for sex, and asked her to [[Non-penetrative sex#Manual sex|touch his genitals]]. He then resigned.<ref>{{Cite news |newspaper=The New York Times|title=House Leaders Call on Conyers to Resign After an Accuser Details Her Charges|date=2017-11-30|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/30/us/politics/conyers-accuser-today-show-hospital.html|access-date=2017-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=December 5, 2017 |title=Conyers Resigns Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations |author=Brian Naylor |publisher=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/12/05/567160325/conyers-resigning-amid-sexual-harassment-allegations}}</ref> +* Rep. [[John Conyers Jr.]] of [[Michigan]] (Democrat) was accused of unwanted sexual advances by a former staffer in 2017. A woman who had settled a sexual harassment claim against him stated that the lawmaker had "violated" her body, repeatedly propositioned her for sex, and asked her to [[Non-penetrative sex#Manual sex|touch his genitals]]. Conyers Jr. resigned.<ref>{{Cite news |newspaper=The New York Times|title=House Leaders Call on Conyers to Resign After an Accuser Details Her Charges|date=2017-11-30|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/30/us/politics/conyers-accuser-today-show-hospital.html|access-date=2017-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=December 5, 2017 |title=Conyers Resigns Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations |author=Brian Naylor |publisher=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/12/05/567160325/conyers-resigning-amid-sexual-harassment-allegations}}</ref> -* [[Trent Franks]], Representative (Republican-[[Arizona]]) — was investigated by the House Ethics Commission about allegations of improper conduct. Before the study concluded, Franks abruptly resigned. (2017)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Caldwell |first1=Leigh Ann |last2=Moe |first2=Alex |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/arizona-rep-trent-franks-expected-announce-resignation-n827531 |title=Arizona Rep. Franks quits Congress after surrogacy remarks |work=NBC News |access-date=December 8, 2017}}</ref><ref name="WPfranks">[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/rep-trent-franks-of-arizona-is-expected-to-resign/2017/12/07/479d156a-db9f-11e7-b859-fb0995360725_story.html "Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona, who asked staffers if they would bear his child as a surrogate, says he will resign"], ''The Washington Post'', December 7, 2017</ref><ref name="cnn-resign">{{cite news | publisher = CNN | title = Arizona GOP Rep. Trent Franks to resign following sexual harassment claim | url = http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/07/politics/trent-franks-resigns/index.html | date = December 7, 2017 | first1 = MJ | last1 = Lee | first2 = Deirdre | last2 = Walsh | first3 = Juana | last3= Summers | first4 = Eli | last4 = Watkins}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Trent Franks]] of [[Arizona]] (Republican) was investigated in 2017 by the House Ethics Commission about allegations of improper conduct. Before the study concluded, Franks abruptly resigned.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Caldwell |first1=Leigh Ann |last2=Moe |first2=Alex |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/arizona-rep-trent-franks-expected-announce-resignation-n827531 |title=Arizona Rep. Franks quits Congress after surrogacy remarks |work=NBC News |access-date=December 8, 2017}}</ref><ref name="WPfranks">[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/rep-trent-franks-of-arizona-is-expected-to-resign/2017/12/07/479d156a-db9f-11e7-b859-fb0995360725_story.html "Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona, who asked staffers if they would bear his child as a surrogate, says he will resign"], ''The Washington Post'', December 7, 2017</ref><ref name="cnn-resign">{{cite news | publisher = CNN | title = Arizona GOP Rep. Trent Franks to resign following sexual harassment claim | url = http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/07/politics/trent-franks-resigns/index.html | date = December 7, 2017 | first1 = MJ | last1 = Lee | first2 = Deirdre | last2 = Walsh | first3 = Juana | last3= Summers | first4 = Eli | last4 = Watkins}}</ref> -* [[Pat Meehan]], Representative (Republican-[[Pennsylvania]]) — In January, 2018, it was revealed that US Representative Pat Meehan used taxpayer funds to settle a sexual harassment claim levied by a female staffer. He was removed from the House Ethics Committee but remained in office until he resigned on April 27, 2018, stating that he would repay the taxpayer money used to settle the suit. (2018)<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/20/us/politics/patrick-meehan-sexual-harassment.html|title=Congressman Combating Harassment Settled His Own Misconduct Case|first1=Katie|last1=Rogers|first2=Kenneth P.|last2=Vogel|date=April 28, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Bowden |first=John |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/369951-gop-rep-loses-spot-on-ethics-committee-over-sexual-harassment-settlement/|title=GOP rep loses spot on Ethics Committee over sexual harassment settlement |date=January 20, 2018 |work=The Hill |access-date=January 20, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Tamari|first1=Jonathan|title=Rep. Pat Meehan resigns; will pay back $39,000 used for harassment settlement|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/pat-meehan-pa-resigns-will-pay-back-sexual-harassment-settlement-20180427.html|access-date=27 April 2018|work=Philadelphia Inquirer|date=April 27, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/rep-pat-meehan-will-not-seek-reelection-after-sexual-harassment-furor-20180125.html |title=Rep. Pat Meehan will not seek reelection after sexual harassment furor |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=August 8, 2018}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Pat Meehan]] of Pennsylvania (Republican) used taxpayer funds to settle a sexual harassment claim levied by a female staffer, as revealed in January 2018. Meehan resigned on 27 April 2018, stating that he would repay the taxpayer money used to settle the suit.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/20/us/politics/patrick-meehan-sexual-harassment.html|title=Congressman Combating Harassment Settled His Own Misconduct Case|first1=Katie|last1=Rogers|first2=Kenneth P.|last2=Vogel|date=April 28, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Bowden |first=John |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/369951-gop-rep-loses-spot-on-ethics-committee-over-sexual-harassment-settlement/|title=GOP rep loses spot on Ethics Committee over sexual harassment settlement |date=January 20, 2018 |work=The Hill |access-date=January 20, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Tamari|first1=Jonathan|title=Rep. Pat Meehan resigns; will pay back $39,000 used for harassment settlement|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/pat-meehan-pa-resigns-will-pay-back-sexual-harassment-settlement-20180427.html|access-date=27 April 2018|work=Philadelphia Inquirer|date=April 27, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/rep-pat-meehan-will-not-seek-reelection-after-sexual-harassment-furor-20180125.html |title=Rep. Pat Meehan will not seek reelection after sexual harassment furor |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=August 8, 2018}}</ref> -*[[Jim Jordan]], Representative (Republican-Ohio) — was accused of covering up and failing to report sexual abuse of minors by former members of the Ohio State University wrestling team by the team physician. There were multiple victims during the period when Jordan was Assistant Coach of the team from 1987 to 1995. On February 12, 2020, allegations surfaced from one of those former members that Jordan (was) "repeatedly crying and begging him not to corroborate accounts of sexual abuse against the university’s wrestling team doctor that occurred when Jordan was a coach."<ref>{{cite news |last=Itkowitz |first=Colby |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/jim-jordan-accused-of-begging-former-ohio-state-wrestler-not-to-support-reports-of-sexual-abuse/2020/02/12/395e7314-4ded-11ea-bf44-f5043eb3918a_story.html|title=Jim Jordan accused of 'begging' former Ohio State wrestler not to support reports of sexual abuse |date=February 12, 2020 |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=February 14, 2020}}</ref> +*Rep. [[Jim Jordan]] of Ohio (Republican) was accused of covering up and failing to report sexual abuse of minors while assistant coach for the [[Ohio State University]] wrestling team from 1987 to 1995. The team physician abused multiple victims during Jordan's tenure. On 12 February 2020, a former team member asserted that Jordan (was) "repeatedly crying and begging him not to corroborate accounts of sexual abuse against the university’s wrestling team doctor that occurred when Jordan was a coach."<ref>{{cite news |last=Itkowitz |first=Colby |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/jim-jordan-accused-of-begging-former-ohio-state-wrestler-not-to-support-reports-of-sexual-abuse/2020/02/12/395e7314-4ded-11ea-bf44-f5043eb3918a_story.html|title=Jim Jordan accused of 'begging' former Ohio State wrestler not to support reports of sexual abuse |date=February 12, 2020 |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=February 14, 2020}}</ref> -* [[Roy S. Moore]], Republican candidate for the US Senate — was accused by nine women of sexual contact and assault in the 1980s, when the women were teenage girls. Though Moore denied the allegations, he lost the election. (2017)<ref>{{cite news|last1=Stableford|first1=Dylan|title=Roy Moore accuser: 'I wonder how many I'm he doesn't know'|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/roy-moore-accuser-wonder-many-mes-doesnt-know-154825164.html |publisher=Yahoo! News |date=November 20, 2017 |access-date=November 20, 2017}}</ref><ref name = Troubled>{{cite magazine|last1=Bethea|first1=Charles|title=Locals Were Troubled by Roy Moore's Interactions with Teen Girls at the Gadsden Mall|url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/locals-were-troubled-by-roy-moores-interactions-with-teen-girls-at-the-gadsden-mall |magazine=The New Yorker |date=November 13, 2017 |access-date=November 27, 2017}}</ref><ref>[http://time.com] | All the Ways Alabama Republicans Are Defending Roy Moore | By TESSA BERENSON | November 10, 2017, | [http://time.com/5018721/roy-moore-alabama-republican-party/]</ref> +* [[Roy S. Moore]] of [[Alabama]], a Republican candidate for the Senate, was accused by nine women of sexual contact and assault when the women were teenage girls in the 1980s. Moore denied the allegations but lost the election.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Stableford|first1=Dylan|title=Roy Moore accuser: 'I wonder how many I'm he doesn't know'|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/roy-moore-accuser-wonder-many-mes-doesnt-know-154825164.html |publisher=Yahoo! News |date=November 20, 2017 |access-date=November 20, 2017}}</ref><ref name = Troubled>{{cite magazine|last1=Bethea|first1=Charles|title=Locals Were Troubled by Roy Moore's Interactions with Teen Girls at the Gadsden Mall|url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/locals-were-troubled-by-roy-moores-interactions-with-teen-girls-at-the-gadsden-mall |magazine=The New Yorker |date=November 13, 2017 |access-date=November 27, 2017}}</ref><ref>[http://time.com] | All the Ways Alabama Republicans Are Defending Roy Moore | By TESSA BERENSON | November 10, 2017, | [http://time.com/5018721/roy-moore-alabama-republican-party/]</ref> (2017) -* [[Tony Tooke]], Chief of the US Forest Service, resigned after sexual harassment and retaliation accusations. (2018)<ref>{{cite news |first=Catherine |last=Boudreau |date=March 7, 2018 |title=Forest Service chief resigns in wake of sexual misconduct allegations |newspaper=Politico |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/07/forest-service-chief-resigns-misconduct-allegations-395048}}</ref> +* [[Tony Tooke]], Chief of the [[United States Forest Service|US Forest Service]], resigned in 2018 after sexual harassment and [[Whistleblower protection in the United States|retaliation]] accusations.<ref>{{cite news |first=Catherine |last=Boudreau |date=March 7, 2018 |title=Forest Service chief resigns in wake of sexual misconduct allegations |newspaper=Politico |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/07/forest-service-chief-resigns-misconduct-allegations-395048}}</ref> -* [[Alex Kozinski]] (R) US Judge in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals appointed by Republican [[Ronald Reagan]], retired following allegations of sexual misconduct from several women, including former clerks. (2018)<ref>{{cite news |first=Matt |last=Zapotosky |date=December 18, 2017 |title=Federal appeals judge announces immediate retirement amid probe of sexual misconduct allegations |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/federal-appeals-judge-announces-immediate-retirement-amid-investigation-prompted-by-accusations-of-sexual-misconduct/2017/12/18/6e38ada4-e3fd-11e7-a65d-1ac0fd7f097e_story.html}}</ref> +* Judge [[Alex Kozinski]] (Republican) of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit|Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals]] retired in 2018 following allegations of sexual misconduct from several women, including former clerks.<ref>{{cite news |first=Matt |last=Zapotosky |date=December 18, 2017 |title=Federal appeals judge announces immediate retirement amid probe of sexual misconduct allegations |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/federal-appeals-judge-announces-immediate-retirement-amid-investigation-prompted-by-accusations-of-sexual-misconduct/2017/12/18/6e38ada4-e3fd-11e7-a65d-1ac0fd7f097e_story.html}}</ref> -* [[Katie Hill]], Representative (Democrat-California) — In October 2019, news reports indicated that the House Ethics Commission was investigating her allegations of sexual relationships with a subordinate.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/467198-house-ethics-committee-will-investigate-katie-hill-allegations/|title=House Ethics Committee to investigate Katie Hill allegations|access-date=2019-10-24|language=en-is}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://time.com/5708174/katie-hill-nude-photo-affair-allegations/|title=Rep. Katie Hill Denies Relationship With Congressional Staffer as House Ethics Committee Launches Investigation|access-date=2019-10-24|language=en-is}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/california-rep-katie-hill-d-calls-accusations-of-sexual-impropriety-a-smear/2019/10/22/41c4c2b2-f4e5-11e9-a285-882a8e386a96_story.html|title=California Rep. Katie Hill (Democrat) denies affair with staffer and calls accusations of sexual impropriety a 'smear'|access-date=2019-10-24|language=en-is}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/rep-katie-hill-denies-affair-192633350.html|title=Rep. Katie Hill Denies Relationship With Congressional Staffer as House Ethics Committee Launches Investigation|access-date=2019-10-24|language=en-is}}</ref> Hill was alleged to have engaged in an extramarital affair with her male legislative director, Graham Kelly, as well as a 22-year-old female staffer prior to her election to Congress; she and her husband were estranged by this point, and he engaged in [[revenge porn]] against her.<ref>{{cite news |quote=the uncomfortable dynamics of Hill's relationship with a staffer who was almost a decade her junior and a recent college graduate. |url=https://amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/601198/ |title=The Humiliation of Katie Hill Offers a Warning |magazine=The Atlantic |last=Jurecic |first=Quinta |date=October 31, 2019 |access-date=September 21, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |quote=...a relationship with [...] a 22-year-old female subordinate on her payroll |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/katie-hill-tries-the-al-franken-defense-11572649267 |title=Katie Hill Tries the Al Franken Defense |department=Editorial |date=November 1, 2019 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |access-date=September 21, 2020}}</ref> She would later resign as a result of the allegations.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Democratic Rep. Katie&nbsp;Hill to Resign Amid Allegations of Improper Relationship with Staffer |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-10-27/rep-katie-hill-resigns-amid-scandal |last1=Wire |first1=Sarah&nbsp;D. |last2=Mai-Duc |first2=Christine |last3=Haberkorn |first3=Jennifer |date=October 27, 2019 |access-date=October 27, 2019 |work=The Los Angeles Times}}</ref> +* Rep. [[Katie Hill]] of California (Democrat) was alleged to have engaged in an extramarital affair with her male legislative director, Graham Kelly, and a 22-year-old female staffer prior to her election to Congress. In October 2019, news reports indicated that the House Ethics Commission was investigating allegations against Hill.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/467198-house-ethics-committee-will-investigate-katie-hill-allegations/|title=House Ethics Committee to investigate Katie Hill allegations|access-date=2019-10-24|language=en-is}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://time.com/5708174/katie-hill-nude-photo-affair-allegations/|title=Rep. Katie Hill Denies Relationship With Congressional Staffer as House Ethics Committee Launches Investigation|access-date=2019-10-24|language=en-is}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/california-rep-katie-hill-d-calls-accusations-of-sexual-impropriety-a-smear/2019/10/22/41c4c2b2-f4e5-11e9-a285-882a8e386a96_story.html|title=California Rep. Katie Hill (Democrat) denies affair with staffer and calls accusations of sexual impropriety a 'smear'|access-date=2019-10-24|language=en-is}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/rep-katie-hill-denies-affair-192633350.html|title=Rep. Katie Hill Denies Relationship With Congressional Staffer as House Ethics Committee Launches Investigation|access-date=2019-10-24|language=en-is}}</ref> Hill and her husband were estranged by this point, and he engaged in [[revenge porn]] against her.<ref>{{cite news |quote=the uncomfortable dynamics of Hill's relationship with a staffer who was almost a decade her junior and a recent college graduate. |url=https://amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/601198/ |title=The Humiliation of Katie Hill Offers a Warning |magazine=The Atlantic |last=Jurecic |first=Quinta |date=October 31, 2019 |access-date=September 21, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |quote=...a relationship with [...] a 22-year-old female subordinate on her payroll |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/katie-hill-tries-the-al-franken-defense-11572649267 |title=Katie Hill Tries the Al Franken Defense |department=Editorial |date=November 1, 2019 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |access-date=September 21, 2020}}</ref> She later resigned as a result of the allegations.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Democratic Rep. Katie&nbsp;Hill to Resign Amid Allegations of Improper Relationship with Staffer |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-10-27/rep-katie-hill-resigns-amid-scandal |last1=Wire |first1=Sarah&nbsp;D. |last2=Mai-Duc |first2=Christine |last3=Haberkorn |first3=Jennifer |date=October 27, 2019 |access-date=October 27, 2019 |work=The Los Angeles Times}}</ref> == 2020–2022 == -*[[Madison Cawthorn]], Representative (Republican-North Carolina) — In August 2020, during Cawthorn's campaign for Congress, several women accused him of sexually aggressive behavior, sexual misconduct, and [[sexual assault]].<ref>Prude, Harvest (August 16, 2020). [https://web.archive.org/web/20210227224910/https://world.wng.org/2020/08/rising_republican_star_faces_accusations_from_women "Rising Republican star faces accusations from women"]. ''World Magazine''. Archived from [https://world.wng.org/2020/08/rising_republican_star_faces_accusations_from_women the original] on August 16, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2020.</ref> These allegations arose once more in February 2021 after a ''[[BuzzFeed News]]'' investigation found 20 people who said that Cawthorn had harassed his female classmates during college; the reporters spoke to four women who said he had harassed them. It was alleged that Cawthorn often recklessly drove women in his car to remote areas off campus while asking them sexual questions: he reportedly called these journeys "fun drives". Two [[resident assistant]]s said they warned women to avoid Cawthorn and not to ride in his car. A male acquaintance said Cawthorn bragged about pulling a woman into his lap and putting a finger between her legs.<ref>Baird, Addy; Sacks, Brianna (February 26, 2021). [https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/addybaird/madison-cawthorn-sexual-misconduct-allegations-patrick ""Danger Warning": Women Say Madison Cawthorn Harassed Them In College"]. ''BuzzFeed News''. Archived from [https://web.archive.org/web/20210227022806/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/addybaird/madison-cawthorn-sexual-misconduct-allegations-patrick/ the original] on February 27, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.</ref> On May 4, 2022, a [[sex tape]] of Cawthorn began circulating online. The video shows a naked Cawthorn in bed with another man, thrusting his genitals in the man's face. Cawthorn acknowledged the film's veracity but said the video was made "years ago" when he was "being crass with a friend."<ref>Hanson, Hillary (May 4, 2022). [https://www.huffpost.com/entry/madison-cawthorn-leaked-nude-video_n_626d40a7e4b0bc48f57c0a83 "Madison Cawthorn Says 'Blackmail Won't Win' After Nude Thrusting Video Leaks"]. ''Huffington Post''. Retrieved May 5, 2022.</ref> -*[[Cal Cunningham]], Democratic candidate for the US Senate — In October 2020, it was leaked that he had sent sexually suggestive text messages to a married California woman.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arkin |first=James |title=Cal Cunningham under fire after more texts revealed |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/06/cal-cunningham-texts-scandal-426971 |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref> This played a role in Cunningham losing the [[2020 United States Senate election in North Carolina]] to incumbent [[Thom Tillis]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cauterucci |first=Christina |date=2020-11-13 |title=You Blew It, Cal Cunningham |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/11/cal-cunningham-let-the-democratic-party-and-america-down.html |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=Slate Magazine |language=en}}</ref> -*[[Matt Gaetz]], Representative (Republican-Florida) — In March 2021, reports surfaced of a federal investigation into allegations that Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl in 2019.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|last1=Schmidt|first1=Michael S.|last2=Benner|first2=Katie|date=March 30, 2021|title=Matt Gaetz Is Said to Be Investigated Over Possible Sexual Relationship With a Girl, 17|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/30/us/politics/matt-gaetz-sex-trafficking-investigation.html|access-date=March 30, 2021}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that Gaetz was being investigated by the [[Department of Justice]] (DOJ). Investigators examined whether he had violated federal [[sex trafficking]] laws.<ref name="axios allegations">{{cite news|last1=Swan|first1=Jonathan|date=March 30, 2021|title=Matt Gaetz says he's under federal investigation for sexual misconduct|work=Axios|url=https://www.axios.com/matt-gaetz-sexual-misconduct-investigation-2755fd4f-f72e-4283-b8ac-9233c952b914.html|access-date=March 30, 2021}}</ref> Gaetz denied any wrongdoing, asserting he and his family were "victims of an organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official seeking $25 million."<ref name=":0" /> As of 2022, Gaetz has not been charged.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Gaetz's ex-girlfriend testifies to grand jury in sex trafficking probe |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/matt-gaetz-s-ex-girlfriend-testifies-grand-jury-sex-trafficking-n1287352 |access-date=2022-12-15 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> -*[[Tom Reed (politician)|Tom Reed]], Representative (Republican-New York), was accused of sexual harassment on March 19, 2021, by a lobbyist for an incident at a bar. In a statement made on March 21, 2021, he apologized to her and said he would not seek re-election in 2022. On May 10, 2022, he announced his resignation on the [[United States House of Representatives|House]] floor effective immediately.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schnell |first1=Mychael |title=Republican lawmaker announces resignation from Congress following sexual misconduct claims |url=https://thehill.com/news/house/3483328-republican-lawmaker-announces-resignation-from-congress-following-sexual-misconduct-claims/ |access-date=10 May 2022 |work=The Hill |date=10 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/tom-reed-resign-congress-republican-new-york/ | author=Aaron Navarro | date=May 11, 2022 | newspaper=CBS News | title=Republican Tom Reed Resigns from Congress}}</ref> -*[[Van Taylor]], Representative (Republican-Texas) — In February 2022, days before the primary election in Texas, counter-extremism activist [[Tania Joya]] claimed that she and Taylor had an extramarital sexual affair in 2020 and 2021. The media circulated her allegations. Taylor won a plurality but not a majority in the primary and faced a runoff election, but suspended his campaign.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gillman |first=Todd J. |date=March 2, 2022 |title=Rep. Van Taylor apologizes for affair with 'ISIS bride,' abruptly drops reelection bid |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2022/03/02/last-minute-infidelity-allegation-helped-force-two-term-plano-rep-van-taylor-into-runoff/ |url-access=limited |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]]}}</ref> He formally withdrew from the runoff days later.<ref>{{cite news |last=Caldwell |first=Emily |date=March 11, 2022 |title=Keith Self, ex-Collin County judge, now GOP nominee for Rep. Van Taylor's seat after incumbent exits |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2022/03/11/keith-self-ex-collin-county-judge-now-gop-nominee-for-rep-van-taylors-seat-after-incumbent-exits/ |url-access=limited |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |location=Dallas, Texas |access-date=March 21, 2022}}</ref> +*Rep. [[Madison Cawthorn]] of North Carolina (Republican) was accused in August 2020 by several women of sexually aggressive behavior, sexual misconduct, and [[sexual assault]].<ref>Prude, Harvest (August 16, 2020). [https://web.archive.org/web/20210227224910/https://world.wng.org/2020/08/rising_republican_star_faces_accusations_from_women "Rising Republican star faces accusations from women"]. ''World Magazine''. Archived from [https://world.wng.org/2020/08/rising_republican_star_faces_accusations_from_women the original] on August 16, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2020.</ref> These allegations arose once more in February 2021 after a ''[[BuzzFeed News]]'' investigation into Cawthorn's college activities. The reporters found 20 witnesses to Cawthorn's harassment and interviewed four women who claimed he had harassed them. Cawthorn allegedly recklessly drove women in his car to remote areas off campus while asking them sexual questions, calling these journeys "fun drives." Two [[resident assistant]]s said they warned women to avoid Cawthorn. A male acquaintance said that Cawthorn bragged about pulling a woman into his lap and putting a finger between her legs.<ref>Baird, Addy; Sacks, Brianna (February 26, 2021). [https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/addybaird/madison-cawthorn-sexual-misconduct-allegations-patrick ""Danger Warning": Women Say Madison Cawthorn Harassed Them In College"]. ''BuzzFeed News''. Archived from [https://web.archive.org/web/20210227022806/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/addybaird/madison-cawthorn-sexual-misconduct-allegations-patrick/ the original] on February 27, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.</ref> On May 4, 2022, a [[sex tape]] of Cawthorn began circulating online, showing a naked Cawthorn in bed with another man, thrusting his genitals in the man's face. Cawthorn acknowledged the film's veracity but said the video was made "years ago" when he was "being crass with a friend."<ref>Hanson, Hillary (May 4, 2022). [https://www.huffpost.com/entry/madison-cawthorn-leaked-nude-video_n_626d40a7e4b0bc48f57c0a83 "Madison Cawthorn Says 'Blackmail Won't Win' After Nude Thrusting Video Leaks"]. ''Huffington Post''. Retrieved May 5, 2022.</ref> +*[[Cal Cunningham]] of North Carolina, Democratic candidate for the US Senate, lost the [[2020 United States Senate election in North Carolina|2020 election]] to incumbent [[Thom Tillis]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cauterucci |first=Christina |date=2020-11-13 |title=You Blew It, Cal Cunningham |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/11/cal-cunningham-let-the-democratic-party-and-america-down.html |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=Slate Magazine |language=en}}</ref> after information leaked in October 2020 that Cunningham had sent sexually suggestive text messages to a married California woman.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arkin |first=James |title=Cal Cunningham under fire after more texts revealed |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/06/cal-cunningham-texts-scandal-426971 |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref> +*Rep. [[Matt Gaetz]] of Florida (Republican) allegedly had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl in 2019.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |last1=Schmidt |first1=Michael S. |last2=Benner |first2=Katie |date=March 30, 2021 |title=Matt Gaetz Is Said to Be Investigated Over Possible Sexual Relationship With a Girl, 17 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/30/us/politics/matt-gaetz-sex-trafficking-investigation.html |access-date=March 30, 2021 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> In March 2021, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that Gaetz was being investigated by the [[Department of Justice]] (DOJ). Investigators examined whether he had violated federal [[sex trafficking]] laws.<ref name="axios allegations">{{cite news|last1=Swan|first1=Jonathan|date=March 30, 2021|title=Matt Gaetz says he's under federal investigation for sexual misconduct|work=Axios|url=https://www.axios.com/matt-gaetz-sexual-misconduct-investigation-2755fd4f-f72e-4283-b8ac-9233c952b914.html|access-date=March 30, 2021}}</ref> Gaetz denied any wrongdoing and claimed that he and his family were "victims of an organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official seeking $25 million."<ref name=":0" /> As of 2023, Gaetz has not been charged.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Gaetz's ex-girlfriend testifies to grand jury in sex trafficking probe |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/matt-gaetz-s-ex-girlfriend-testifies-grand-jury-sex-trafficking-n1287352 |access-date=2022-12-15 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> +*Rep. [[Tom Reed (politician)|Tom Reed]] of New York (Republican) was accused by a lobbyist of sexual harassment on 19 March 2021 for an incident at a bar. In a statement made on 21 March 2021, he apologized to his accuser and said he would not seek re-election. On 10 May 2022, he announced his resignation on the House floor effective immediately.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schnell |first1=Mychael |title=Republican lawmaker announces resignation from Congress following sexual misconduct claims |url=https://thehill.com/news/house/3483328-republican-lawmaker-announces-resignation-from-congress-following-sexual-misconduct-claims/ |access-date=10 May 2022 |work=The Hill |date=10 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/tom-reed-resign-congress-republican-new-york/ | author=Aaron Navarro | date=May 11, 2022 | newspaper=CBS News | title=Republican Tom Reed Resigns from Congress}}</ref> +*Rep. [[Van Taylor]] of Texas (Republican), allegedly had an extramarital affair with counter-extremism [[Activism|activist]] [[Tania Joya]] in 2020 and 2021, per Joya's claims in February 2022. Taylor won a plurality but not a majority in the primary and faced a runoff election before suspending his campaign<ref>{{cite news |last=Gillman |first=Todd J. |date=March 2, 2022 |title=Rep. Van Taylor apologizes for affair with 'ISIS bride,' abruptly drops reelection bid |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2022/03/02/last-minute-infidelity-allegation-helped-force-two-term-plano-rep-van-taylor-into-runoff/ |url-access=limited |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]]}}</ref> and formally withdrawing from the runoff.<ref>{{cite news |last=Caldwell |first=Emily |date=March 11, 2022 |title=Keith Self, ex-Collin County judge, now GOP nominee for Rep. Van Taylor's seat after incumbent exits |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2022/03/11/keith-self-ex-collin-county-judge-now-gop-nominee-for-rep-van-taylors-seat-after-incumbent-exits/ |url-access=limited |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |location=Dallas, Texas |access-date=March 21, 2022}}</ref> ==See also== '