10 Biggest Political Scandals of the Last 50 Years

Watergate

There is no better-known scandal in U.S. history than Watergate. Eventually forcing then-President Richard Nixon to resign, Watergate is all about a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters. Among the questionable activities of this scandal, the goal was to guarantee Nixon’s re-election in 1972.

Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky

Former President Bill Clinton has long dodged rumors of extramarital affairs. However, Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky couldn’t be outrun. It was first met with a denial by the President only to later be admitted. President Clinton would be the first sitting President to be impeached in 130 years, though the Senate acquitted him.

Iran-Contra

Among the best-known scandals in the last 50 years is the Iran-Contra affair. This political scandal included the U.S. selling arms to Iran. With profits from the sale, the U.S. funded a rebel group known as the Nicaraguan Contras. This group was attempting to overthrow the communist government in the country. Unfortunately, these transactions violated multiple U.S. policies and laws.

Spiro Agnew

Only the second vice president to resign in American history, Spiro Agnew did exactly that. Stemming from accusations of tax evasion and bribery, Agnew resigned in October 1973. The result was that then-President Richard Nixon had to appoint House Minority Leader Gerald Ford as Agnew’s replacement. This appointment would set Ford up to also serve one term as President.

Chappaquiddick

Stretching just outside the 50-year mark at 55 years, the Chappaquiddick incident involving Edward Kennedy and a young female staffer was a major one. The brother of John and Robert Kennedy, Edward was driving a car with the young female staffer when the vehicle veered off a bridge and the staffer died. As Kennedy waited more than 9 hours to report the incident, it would destroy his chances at the Presidency.

Gary Hart

Despite persistent rumors about his womanizing ways, Presidential hopeful Gary Hart challenged reporters to look into him. Well, the Miami Herald was already watching Senator Hart and they discovered he was indeed having an affair with a young actress. Hart would drop out of the 1998 Presidential race in May 1987 due to the affair coming to light.

John Edwards

A rising star in the Democratic party, John Edwards covered up an affair with a Presidential aide working on his 2008 campaign. The affair would end his campaign entirely and it wouldn’t be until after his wife died in 2010 that Edwards admitted to the affair. Using campaign funds to help cover up the affair forced the government to pursue charges but Edwards was acquitted on account of a mistrial.

Valerie Plame

After President George W. Bush made false claims about Iraq and WMDs in his 2003 State of the Union, former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson publicly reprimanded the President. As a result, “Scooter” Libby, then an advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney, outed Wilson’s Wife, Valerie Plame, as a CIA operative. The resulting outcry ended Plame’s career and led to major political fallout.

David Petraeus

One of the highest-ranking military officials in the U.S., four-star General David Petraeus had a bright future. As the newly installed CIA director, the FBI was already investigating the general for revealing classified secrets to his biographer with whom he was having an affair. The scandal cost him his job and eliminated any chances at a future presidential run.

The “Keating Five”

When the rich and powerful have a problem, they often call on their friends in government. This is exactly what happened with Charles Keating, owner of the Lincoln Savings and Loan Association. With his business in trouble, Keating called five Senators with whom he was cozy to stop a federal investigation.

The Senators, including popular Senator John McCain, did exactly that. When the scandal came to light, the Senator faced multiple attacks on this issue during his 2008 campaign against Senator Barack Obama.