Political Scandals

Like some of the other figures we’ve covered, Simon Cameron reached the top of the political ladder, only to have to ultimately resign in shame. What makes Cameron’s situation unique is that he stumbled into the wrong position at the wrong time—as Secretary of War, during the outbreak of the Civil War.

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Though Spiro Agnew’s life and political career is generally considered a footnote to that of his much more famous boss, unlike Nixon, Agnew actually was a convicted felon. And to this day, he’s the only vice president in history to resign in disgrace.

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During the late 1980s, Pennsylvania State Treasurer Budd Dwyer was in charge of awarding a bidding contract to repay state teachers for tax overpayments. But when an investigation into bribery ensued, Dwyer's mental health began to unravel, yielding dire consequences...

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As the exciting game of cat and mouse between former Vice President Richard Nixon and Massachusetts senator John F. Kennedy came to a head in the general election, discrepancies in the electoral ballot count that slotted Kennedy as the winner came to light, opening a trove of questions about voting foul play.

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In the late 1970s, the FBI’s Abscam case showed the American public exactly how low many elected officials were willing to go for money. Many Americans applauded the Bureau for exposing the conmen in Congress. But some say Abscam was the FBI’s retaliation against Congress for investigating federal agents’ abuse of power.

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In 1856, a nearly deadly clash between two Congressmen occurred on the floor of the Senate. South Carolina Representative Preston Smith Brooks brought his gold-tipped cane to confront Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner over what he deemed to be an inflammatory speech.

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In the late 1790s, President John Adams sent three American envoys to Paris to negotiate with France's foreign minister in hopes of avoiding the slippery slope to war. But the result of such diplomatic brinkmanship yielded grave consequences.

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Former Illinois Governor Rod Blajojevich made a name for himself in politics by insisting he was the anti-corruption candidate the state needed. However, when he was arrested in late 2008 and charged with corruption, Blajojevich would prove that he was no different than the men who'd come before him.

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In the 1860s, the Union Pacific Railroad Company was commissioned to build the first transcontinental railroad. Looking to cash in, their directors contracted the work out to Crédit Mobilier, their shell corporation. After massively overcharging the federal government, they then sold their shares back to Congressmen as bribes.

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In 2001, former Washington intern Chandra Levy went missing after a hiking day trip. This prompted a months-long search revealing she had been entangled with a much older California Congressman.

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In a state known for high-profile corruption, Illinois Secretary of State George Ryan was no exception. His corruption would help out his family, his buddies...and ultimately let innocent citizens die, thanks to dangerous forged licenses distributed around the state in the 1990s. 

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In the early 1900s, “Bathhouse John” Coughlin and Michael “Hinky Dink” Kenna set about rigging the city's political machine in their favor, contributing to the rise of organized crime in Chicago, and putting their careers on a collision course with the law.

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In the 1950s, at the height of Communist paranoia, Republican Senators Styles Bridges and Joe Welker went after Democratic Senator Lester Hunt in an attempt to blackmail him into giving up his coveted seat in Congress.

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President Grover Cleveland is often remembered for his mustache, or perhaps his anti-corruption agenda. Fewer people know about the son he fathered through sexual assault—and the ensuing scandal that threatened his election to the White House.

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The 1991 House baking scandal may have rocked Capitol Hill, but it was proved to be the tip of the iceberg for Kentucky Democratic Representative Caroll Hubbard. He was found guilty of siphoning his Congressional funds for a variety of inappropriate uses, including his wife's own campaign for Congress.

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As Jimmy Carter’s younger brother, Billy Carter was no stranger to national attention or public scrutiny. Being next of kin to the President let him establish himself as a celebrity in his own right. But in the months leading up to the 1980 presidential election, it would become clear that Billy had been up to far more serious business. He had been making international trips and deals that could ruin his brother’s reelection.

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Under President Ulysses S. Grant, John MacDonald created one of the most lucrative scams ever to grace the spirits business, leading to a trial that had the President himself doing the unheard of: testifying as a witness on behalf of the defendant.

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In the years before the American Civil War, the territory of Kansas was fraught with conflict between abolitionist Free Soilers and Pro-slavery Southerners. Statehood for Kansas hung in the balance of one election dictating which party would lead the local government in its quest for the Union.

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On the surface, Tom Eagleton seemed the ideal running mate for George McGovern’s 1972 presidential campaign. But upon closer examination, there were odd details about Eagleton—details that contributed to one of the worst presidential election defeats in history.

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He was one of the strangest, most colorful men to ever tread the House of Representatives. After successfully defending himself against a racketeering charge in the early 1980s, James Traficant knew the FBI would stay close—looking for any opportunity to take him down.

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He was President Richard Nixon’s ace-in-the-hole for the U.S. Supreme Court in 1970. The Senate had other thoughts—rejecting G. Harrold Carswell’s nomination after reporters uncovered a speech in which he endorsed racial segregation as a legislative candidate in Georgia.

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Most people would be hard-pressed to name even one of John Jay’s accomplishments. In fact, there was a time when Jay had a path to the presidency. But before he even got that shot, Jay ran for Governor of New York. And despite getting more votes than his opponent, Jay was declared the loser.

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After becoming Governor of Louisiana in 1928, Huey Long was on a warpath. He sought to force out anyone who opposed him and take control of the state through any means necessary.

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It was a scandal in which defense contractors paid bribes to members of Congress and officials in the U.S. Defense Department. Most notable amongst the recipients of the bribes was California Congressman Duke Cunningham, who pleaded guilty in 2005 to receiving over $2.3 million in bribes.

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He was a politician, frontiersman, lawyer, and naval officer. But above all, Robert Potter was the ultimate sore loser. After failing in a House of Commons race, he challenged his opponent to a duel.

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After years of turmoil brought on by the Civil War, Reconstruction, and corruption in the Grant Administration, the new president was tasked with getting the country back on track. Instead, the country experienced one of the most corrupt elections ever.

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After serving terms in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, war hero Richard Johnson nearly derailed the presidential election of 1836 due to his marriage to Julia Chinn... his own slave.

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In July of 1969, shortly after leaving a party that he was hosting, senator Ted Kennedy drove his Oldsmobile off a wooden bridge into a tide-swept pond. Kennedy escaped the submerged car, but his 28-year old passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, did not. 

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In 2004, Jack Abramoff was on top of the lobbying game. He was also bilking his own clients out of millions of dollars. By January of 2006, he pled guilty to mail fraud, conspiracy, wire fraud, and tax evasion. But the most surprising part is where Abramoff is now.

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Bribery, greed, murder, and a mind-boggling $60,000,000 worth of solid gold: In 1869, two men and their get-rich scheme brought the U.S. economy to its knees in what we now remember as Black Friday.

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In 1797, Alexander Hamilton revealed that he had an extramarital affair with a married woman. Known as the “Hamilton-Reynolds Affair,” this story was America's first sex scandal...but it was hardly the last.

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In 2007, Deborah Jeane Palfrey was indicted for racketeering and money laundering. Her escort service’s client list included men from the highest reaches of the U.S. government, stretching all the way into the dark halls of the White House. 

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The match-up between sitting president John Adams, and his own vice president, Thomas Jefferson—an election so rife with backstabbing, mudslinging, and constitutional controversy that it nearly led to a civil war.

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Every Tuesday leading up to the 2020 election, Parcast’s new limited series Political Scandals counts down the 54 most controversial events in American history—uncovering the ugly truth behind some of our most infamous elected officials. From Watergate and Lewinsky to Iran Contra and the 2000 Recount, dig deeper into the stories you knew—thought you knew—or had no idea changed the face of politics. Political Scandals premieres Sunday, November 3rd, with new episodes available every Tuesday thereafter. Listen free on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe today!

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