Five Infamous Political Scandals

Watergate

On June 17th, 1972, burglars were found in Washington’s Watergate office-apartment complex. It was revealed that the intruders were actually officials in Mr. Nixon’s Committee to Reelect the President. After two years of investigation tapes were found that linked Mr. Nixon to this scandal. He then resigned on August 9th, 1974. His vice president, who took over, Gerald Ford, pardoned Nixon of any crimes he may have committed while in office.

Eliot Spitzer

On March 10th, 2008, Eliot Spitzer apologized for his involvement in a prostitution ring. Eliot Spitzer was caught on a federal wiretap for an investigation that had opened up a few months earlier. He ended up resigning. He also said, “I have disappointed and failed to live up to the standard I expected of myself, I must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family.”

Clinton-Lewinsky

Lewinsky mat President Clinton after she received an un-paid internship at the White House. They met at an office party where they flirted and then had a more intimate encounter. Over the next year or so they continued to have sexual encounters. They were later found out after Lewinsky was upset about not being transferred back to the White House after being transferred to the Pentagon. The President continued to deny that there were sexual relations. In the end he was charged with lying under oath and obstructing justice.

Washingtonienne

Jessica Louise Cutler was a staff assistant for Senator Michael DeWine. She published a blog called the Washingtonienne, in which she included details of her sex life with some government officials. She also wrote how she was given some money and gifts for what she was doing. When this was found out she was fired for “unacceptable use of Senate computers”.

Bob Taft

On August 18th, 2005, Ohio governor Bob Taft, pleaded no contest to some charges that he did not report golf outings and other gifts. He was fined by a judge for $4,000. He was charged a maximum of $1,000 for four charges. Bob Taft is the first governor of Ohio to be charged with a crime.