List of federal political scandals in the United States

This article is organized by presidential terms in order, older to recent, and then divided into scandals of the federal Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of government. Members of both parties are listed under the term of the president in office at the time the scandal took place, even though they may not be connected with the presiding president. In this article, the term "politician" (a person who is professionally involved in politics) includes not only those elected, but also party officials, candidates for office, their staffs and appointees. Please note that every president directly selects, appoints or hires several thousand people. Each of those selects thousands more. Private citizens should only be mentioned when they are closely linked to the scandal or politician, such as Jack Abramoff. This list also does not include crimes that occur outside the politician's tenure (such as before or after their term in office) unless they specifically stem from acts made while in office and discovered later. Scandal is defined as "loss of or damage to reputation caused by actual or apparent violation of morality or propriety". Scandals are separate from 'controversies', (which implies two differing points of view) and 'unpopularity'. Many decisions are controversial, many decisions are unpopular, that alone does not make them scandals. Breaking the law is a scandal. The finding of a court is the sole method used to determine a violation of law, but it is not the sole method of determining a scandal. Also included as scandals are politicians who resign, quit, run, or commit suicide while being investigated or threatened with investigation. Notoriety is a major determinant of a scandal, that is, the amount of press dedicated to it. Misunderstandings, breaches of ethics, unproven crimes or cover-ups may or may not result in inclusion depending on the standing of the accused, the amount of publicity generated, and the seriousness of the crime, if any. Drunk driving may be a conviction, but is usually too minor and too common to mention unless there are multiple convictions and/or jail time. Given the political nature of Congress in which the leading party has determining power, politicians who are rebuked, denounced, censured, admonished, condemned, suspended, reprimanded, found in contempt, found to have acted improperly, or used poor judgement are not included unless the scandal is exceptional or leads to expulsion or conviction. == Government under the Articles of Confederation (1777–1789) ==

• Thomas Conway and Horatio Gates created a movement or conspiracy, known as the Conway Cabal, to remove George Washington as Commander of the Continental Army. (1777–1778) • Silas Deane was appointed by the Continental Congress to be Ambassador to France. He was accused of mismanagement and treason. As he was attempting to clear himself of the charges, he died suddenly. The charges were eventually reversed or dropped. (1777) == George Washington administrations (1789–1797) ==

Legislative branch • Senator William Blount (Democratic-Republican-TN) was expelled from the Senate for conspiring of his own accord to have Great Britain take over Spanish-controlled Louisiana and Florida in order to boost local land prices. (1797) == John Adams administration (1797–1801) ==

Executive branch • The XYZ Affair was the French seizure of over 300 US ships and demands for bribes and apologies, which led to a Quasi-War causing the US Congress to issue the famous phrase, "Millions for defense, sir, but not one cent for tribute!". Real war was averted by treaty. (1798–1800) Legislative branch • Matthew Lyon (Democratic-Republican KY) was the first Congressman recommended for censure for spitting on Ralph Griswold (Federalist-CT). The censure failed to pass. Also found guilty of violating John Adams's Alien and Sedition Acts and sentenced to four months in jail, during which he was re-elected. (1798) == Thomas Jefferson administrations (1801–1809) ==

Executive branch • General James Wilkinson was appointed to be Governor of the upper Louisiana Purchase. He then conspired with Spain to get Kentucky to secede from the Union in order to allow shipping on the Mississippi to reach New Orleans. (1787–1811) • Aaron Burr and the New Empire (Southwest) Burr conspiracy (1804–1807) – Burr allegedly tried to seize a large part of the Louisiana Purchase and establish his own country. He was arrested for treason, but was acquitted for lack of evidence. (1807) • Aaron Burr dueled with Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton died of wounds received during the duel. (1804) Judicial branch • Samuel Chase, the Supreme Court Justice appointed by George Washington, was impeached for political favoritism and acquitted in 1805. • John Pickering, a federal judge appointed by George Washington, was impeached and convicted in absentia by the US Senate for drunkenness and use of profanity on the bench. (1804) • Benjamin Sebastian US Court of Appeals Judge, was accused in the Spanish Conspiracy, of being a paid agent of Spain. He resigned in disgrace. (1806) == James Monroe administrations (1817–1825) ==

Legislative branch • Corrupt Bargain was a supposed bargain by John Quincy Adams with Henry Clay. (1824) In the United States presidential election of 1824, in which John Quincy Adams was elected by the House of Representatives after Andrew Jackson won the most popular and electoral votes but failed to receive a majority. The matter was decided by the House of Representatives. == Andrew Jackson administrations (1829–1837) ==

see Andrew Jackson administration controversies Executive branch • Samuel Swartwout was appointed by President Andrew Jackson to the New York City Collector's Office. At the end of his term he had embezzled $1.225 million in customs receipts and used the money to purchase land. He fled to Europe to avoid prosecution. • Margaret O'Neill Eaton, the wife of Secretary of War John H. Eaton, was a central figure in the Petticoat Affair which involved accusations that she had engaged in an extramarital affair, and her social ostracism by the wives of other Cabinet members led by Floride Calhoun, the wife of Vice President John C. Calhoun. Legislative branch • Robert Potter North Carolina Congressman, resigned from Congress after castrating two men he believed were having an affair with his wife. (1831) Later, in North Carolina, he was expelled from its legislature for cheating at cards or for pulling a gun and a knife during a card game. (1835) == John Tyler administration (1841–1845) ==

Legislative branch • Charles F. Mitchell (R-NY) US Representative from the 33rd District, was convicted of forgery, sentenced to one year in prison and fined, though he was paroled early due to poor health. (1841) == Zachary Taylor administration (1849–1850) ==

Executive branch • George W. Crawford (Whig-GA), Secretary of War in the Cabinet of President Zachary Taylor (Whig), was the center of the Galphin Affair land scandal with the help of Reverdy Johnson (Whig) Attorney General and William M. Meredith (Whig) Secretary of the Treasury, in which Crawford defrauded the federal government of $191,353. (1849) ==Franklin Pierce administration (1853–1857)==

Legislative branch • Preston Brooks (D-SC) US Representative and fervent advocate of slavery, beat abolitionist Senator Charles Sumner (R-MA), until his cane broke, leaving him bleeding and unconscious on the floor of the House of Representatives. (1856) == James Buchanan administration (1857–1861) ==

Executive branch • President Buchanan called out a detachment of U.S. Marines from the Washington Navy Yard, the only federal troops in the immediate area: 81 privates, 11 sergeants, 13 corporals, and 1 bugler, armed with seven howitzers. The Marines left for Harper's Ferry on the regular 3:30 train, arriving about 10 PM. Israel Greene was in charge. see John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry Legislative branch • US Representative Orsamus B. Matteson (R-NY), faced an allegation of having defamed the character of the US House by declaring that a majority of its members were 'purchasable'. He himself was then accused of accepting money in exchange for supporting a Minnesota land bill. The House recommendation that he be expelled was tabled and a recommendation of censure was brought up, but before it could be passed, Matteson resigned. (1857) == Abraham Lincoln (R) administration (1861–1865) ==

Executive branch • Simon Cameron (R), Lincoln's Secretary of War, resigned in 1862 due to corruption charges. His behavior was so notorious that Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, when discussing Cameron's honesty with Lincoln, told him that "I don't think that he would steal a red hot stove." When Cameron demanded Stevens retract this statement, Stevens told Lincoln "I believe I told you he would not steal a red-hot stove. I will now take that back." (1860–1862) • Caleb Lyon (R) was appointed Governor of the Idaho Territory. An audit revealed that he had embezzled $46,418 in federal funds intended for the Nez Perce Indians. He died before prosecution. (1866) Legislative branch • Jesse D. Bright (D-IN) US Senator and Pro Tem President of the US Senate, was known as a leading southern sympathizer. When it was discovered that he had written a letter to President Jefferson Davis aiding him in his pursuit of firearms for the Confederacy, it was taken to be an act of treason. Bright was then expelled from the Senate. (1861) • James F. Simmons (R-RI) US Senator had confirmed corruption charges against him reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee and the charges were then referred to the full Senate for action on July 14, 1862. The Senate adjourned three days later without acting. Before it could reconvene, Simmons resigned on September 5, 1862. • Lovell Harrison Rousseau (R-KY) US Representative assaulted Iowa Representative Josiah Bushnell Grinnell on June 14, 1866, with his iron handled cane until it broke. He was reprimanded by the House of Representatives, and resigned, but was elected again to fill his own vacancy. (1866) == Andrew Johnson (D) administration (1865–1869) ==

Executive branch • President Andrew Johnson (D/National Union) was impeached for violating the Tenure of Office Act. He was acquitted by one vote. (1868) == Ulysses S. Grant (R) administrations (1869–1877) ==

Executive branch • William Belknap (R) United States Secretary of War, resigned just before he was impeached by the United States House of Representatives for bribery. (1876) • Schuyler Colfax (R-IN) Vice President under Republican U. S. Grant invested money in the Crédit Mobilier Scandal and failed to mention $10,000 they invested in his next campaign. He was examined by the House, but his term ended before he could be impeached. (1873) • Whiskey Ring was a massive corruption of Ulysses S. Grant's (R) administration involving whiskey taxes, bribery and kickbacks ending with 110 convictions. (1875) • Orville E. Babcock (R), a personal secretary to Grant, was indicted in the Whiskey Ring scandal and ten days later in the Safe Burglary Conspiracy. He was acquitted both times. • William Adams Richardson (R), U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, hired John B. Sanborn to collect unpaid taxes, some of which were used in a kickback scheme. Though not illegal, Congressional outrage forced Richardson to resign. The actions were made illegal a few months later and are now called the Sanborn Incident. (1874) • Black Friday – When financiers Jay Gould and James Fisk tried to corner the gold market by getting Ulysses S. Grant's brother-in-law Abel Corbin to convince Grant to appoint General Daniel Butterfield as Assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury, where he could then give them insider information. (1869) • George M. Robeson, Grant's Secretary of the Navy, was admonished by the House for gross misconduct and corruption in relation to his dealings with Alexander Cattel. (1876) • Salary Grab Act was the act that increased the salaries of the President, Congress and the Supreme Court. (1873) • Columbus Delano, the Secretary of the Interior under Grant, resigned after allegedly taking bribes in order to secure fraudulent land grants. Legislative branch • Crédit Mobilier of America scandal: • Oakes Ames (R-MA) bribed Congress with Union Pacific stock. • James Brooks (D-NY) also implicated; both were censured for their involvement. (1872) • James W. Patterson (R-NH) US Senator, was found to have given false testimony to both the House and Senate Ethics Committees, both of whom found him guilty of bribery in the Crédit Mobilier Scandal. They both recommended his expulsion from the Senate, but Patterson's term expired before such action could be taken. (1873) • Samuel C. Pomeroy (R-KS) US Senator, was being investigated for bribery and buying votes. A motion to impeach and expel Pomeroy was made, but arrived on the last day of Pomeroy's term, who was not re-elected. (1873) • Benjamin Franklin Whittemore (R-SC) US Representative, was found to have sold an appointment to the US Naval Academy. He was found guilty and forced to resign.(1870) • James G. Blaine (R-ME) US Representative, faced an allegation of selling $64,000 of worthless Union Pacific Railroad bonds. The House Committee of the Judiciary ordered an investigation. A month later, he resigned. (1876) Judicial branch • Mark Delahay (R) a U.S. District Judge of Kansas and cofounder of the Republican Party, was impeached by the United States House of Representatives on February 28, 1873, for "intoxication off the bench as well as on the bench", He resigned two months later. (1873) • Richard Busteed (R) US Judge from the Northern District of Alabama, spent much of his time at home in New York though serving in Alabama. Southern sympathizers brought charges against him for non-residence, failure to hold court and improper use of his position. To avoid being removed from office, he resigned before impeachment. (1874) • Levi Hubbell (R) US Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, accused of corruption for failing to prosecute whisky distributors who were bribing US Revenue agents. Forced to resign. (1875) • William Story (R) Judge of the US District Court for the Western District of Arkansas appointed by Republican Ulysses S. Grant. Graft and corruption in the court became so bad that Story appeared before the House Judiciary Committee. He resigned soon after. (1874) • Charles Taylor Sherman (R) Federal Judge of the Northern District of Ohio, was alleged to have demanded stocks in exchange for favorable rulings and threatened adverse rulings if they were not paid. He resigned before impeachment began. (1873) == Rutherford B. Hayes (R) administration (1877–1881) ==

Executive branch • Ezra Ayres Hayt, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs under Rutherford B. Hayes, was forced to resign by Interior Secretary Carl Schurz due to allegations of rampant corruption. (1880) Judicial branch • US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Judge Edward Henry Durell (R) was impeached for alleged drunkenness, corruption, and election-rigging. He resigned before trial. (1879) == James A. Garfield (R) administration (1881) ==

• Garfield's Presidential term ran from March 4, 1881 – September 19, 1881 when he was assassinated by Charles J. Guiteau. He was succeeded by his Vice-President Chester A. Arthur (R). == Chester A. Arthur (R) administration (1881–1885) ==

Executive branch • Nehemiah G. Ordway (R) was appointed Governor of Dakota Territory and was removed from office for corrupt practices. (1884) • Levi Jarrad (R) was appointed US Postmaster for New Brunswick, NJ by President Chester A. Arthur (R) in 1881. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for forgery in 1884. == Grover Cleveland (D) administration (1885–1889) ==

Legislative branch • Utah Territorial Delegate George Q. Cannon (R) was refused his seat due to a conviction for unlawful cohabitation (polygamy), for which he served nearly six months in Utah's federal penitentiary. (1888) • SC Representative Robert Smalls (R-SC) was charged with accepting a $5,000 bribe in relation to a government printing contract and found guilty. (1877) == William McKinley (R) administration (1897–1901) ==

Executive branch • Oregon US Federal District Attorney John Hicklin Hall (R) was appointed by Republican President William McKinley and ordered to investigate the Oregon land fraud scandal. He was accused of failing to prosecute land companies engaging in fraudulent activities, and blackmailing his political opponents. On February 8, 1908, a jury found Hall guilty. (1907) • Alexander McKenzie (R) Republican National Committeeman, was appointed receiver of the Anvil Creek gold mines in Alaska. He took over production and kept the gold it produced. He was then ordered to return the gold he had collected, an order which he refused. He was found guilty of two counts of contempt of court and sentenced to one year in jail. (1901) Legislative branch • Charles Henry Dietrich (R-NE) US Senator, before he took office Dietrich was charged with bribery for accepting money to appoint Jacob Fisher to be a US Postmaster. He was charged with conspiracy to receive a bribe, accepting a bribe and profiting by the leasing of a building to the government. Before the trial could begin, the judge held that Dietrich could not be prosecuted because the alleged bribery occurred after he was elected, but before Dietrich was sworn in as a US Senator. All charges were then dropped. (1901) == Theodore Roosevelt (R) administrations (1901–1909) ==

Legislative branch • William A. Clark (D-MT) US Senator, was elected amid allegations of rampant bribery. Though seated, the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections unanimously concluded he was not entitled to his seat and recommended a vote to remove him. He resigned in 1900 rather than be voted out, thus creating a vacancy. In 1901, he was re-elected to fill the vacancy that he had just created by a Montana legislature now filled with winning candidates he had already financially supported. (1900) • William Miller Jenkins (R) Governor of the Oklahoma Territory was appointed by Republican President William McKinley in May 1901. Jenkins was investigated both for discrepancies in the dispensation of lands from newly opened Indian lands and his appointment of officials concerning the Oklahoma Sanitarium Company which held included $10,000 in stock to Jenkins for contracts with the Oklahoma Territory. When McKinley was assassinated Republican President Theodore Roosevelt assumed office and an investigation by the Interior Department of Jenkins revealed nothing. Nonetheless, in November. Roosevelt removed Jenkins from office for his "indiscreet" and inappropriate role" in the matter. (1901) • John Goodnow (R) US Consulate General of Shanghai, China, was appointed by Republican President William McKinley, when accused of corruption, he resigned. (1902) • John Hipple Mitchell (R-OR) US Senator, was involved with the Oregon land fraud scandal, for which he was indicted and convicted while a sitting U.S. Senator. He died before sentencing. (1905) • Henry B. Cassel (R-PA) US Representative, was convicted of fraud related to the construction of the Pennsylvania State Capitol in 1909. Judicial branch • John Hicklin Hall (R) US District Attorney for Oregon, appointed by President McKinley, was convicted of not prosecuting suspects and then blackmailing them during the Oregon land fraud scandal. (1903) == William Howard Taft (R) administration (1909–1913) ==