15 Unsavory Political Scandals That Rocked America’s Casbah
Here for some steamy, salacious details aren’t you? You dirty ol’ dawg. No judgement, we’re the freaks that drummed these taboo moments up, so we’re right there with you. Not that politics need to get any wilder these days, but current president Donald J. Trump's tie to a certain newsworthy list got us thinking about other NSFW moments in political history. Or should we say NSFWH? Not safe for White House, get it?
Dang, we just can’t keep our heads out of the new ball room’s gutters. And once inside those gutters, we started finding all kinds of saucy, creepy, life-ruining scandals that rocked the nation in their day. Why, here they are now!
Gary Hart
In 1987, this Democratic presidential frontrunner saw his campaign collapse after reports of an extramarital affair with Donna Rice. The intense media coverage of the scandal is often cited as a turning point in American political journalism, leading to more aggressive and intrusive reporting that blurred the lines between public and private life.
John Edwards
In 2008, the former senator and presidential candidate admitted to an extramarital affair with Rielle Hunter and later faced scrutiny over using campaign finances to cover it up.
Bill Clinton & Monica Lewinsky
Possibly the most famous American political sex scandal occurred in 1998, when President Clinton’s affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky led to impeachment for perjury, obstruction of justice, and about 3 billion late-night jokes.
Anthony Weiner
Between 2011 and 2016, the former congressman was involved in multiple sexting scandals, including exchanges with a minor, leading to a sentencing of 21 months in prison.
Eliot Spitzer
In 2008, then-New York governor Eliot Spitzer resigned after being identified as a client in a high-end escort agency called Emperors Club VIP — where he reportedly spent over $80,000.
John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe
Rumors emerged in the 1960s that Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe had a secret sexual relationship. The speculation intensified after Monroe’s iconic 1962 “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” performance at Madison Square Garden. While there was no definitive proof, several associates of both the Kennedys and Monroe later said an affair did happen.
Larry Craig
In 2007, the Idaho senator was arrested for soliciting sex from an undercover male officer in an airport bathroom. He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct.
David Vitter
In 2007, the Louisiana senator’s phone number appeared in the “D.C. Madam” prostitution scandal. Vitter succeeded GOP Rep. Robert Livingston, who was in line to replace Newt Gingrich as speaker, until Livingston admitted to extramarital affairs and quit Congress. Ooh, a two-for-one!
Andrew Cuomo
In 2021, the then-New York governor resigned following an independent investigation that concluded he had sexually harassed 11 women with behavior like unwanted touching, kissing, groping, and making inappropriate comments.
Bob Filner
In 2013, the San Diego mayor resigned after numerous women accused him of sexual harassment. The scandal also resulted in a $250,000 settlement in a lawsuit filed by his former communications director, Irene McCormack Jackson, who was the first to publicly accuse him.
John Ensign
In 2009, this Nevada senator admitted to an affair with a staffer’s wife, which led to a Senate Ethics Committee investigation. It concluded that there was "substantial and credible evidence" that he broke federal laws related to a cover-up of an extramarital affair.
Al Franken
In 2017, the Minnesota senator and SNL alum resigned after multiple women accused him of unwanted touching. Radio host and model Leeann Tweeden accused Franken of forcibly kissing her during a 2006 USO tour rehearsal. He also posed in the now-famous photo with his hands near her chest while she slept.
Katie Hill
In 2019, the California congresswoman resigned after allegations of inappropriate relationships with staffers and leaked intimate photos. The nude photos were published by the Daily Mail.
Bob Packwood
In 1995, The Oregon senator resigned after numerous women accused him of sexual harassment and assault. The Senate Ethics Committee unanimously recommended his expulsion just days before his resignation, citing a pattern of abuse of power and conduct unbecoming of a senator.
Donald J. Trump
In 2016, adult film star Stormy Daniels alleged that she had a sexual encounter with Donald Trump in 2006. Just before the presidential election, Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen paid her $130,000 as “hush money,” and Trump reimbursed Cohen with money he documented as “legal expenses.” In March 2023, a Manhattan grand jury indicted Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation to this scheme, and in May 2024, a jury found him guilty on all counts.