If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s how much we like and respect our political leaders. Well, OK maybe not. But in case you need a reason to question your current or future presidents, here are some of the best and biggest scandals of our commanders-in-chief from the past.
Black Friday (1869)
The only Black Friday we know involves the tearing of limbs for highly sought after Christmas items the day after Thanksgiving, but the first Black Friday took place in 1869 during the Ulysses S. Grant administration, one of several screw-ups by the war hero president. During the Reconstruction Era, a large debt set in to cover such reconstruction, a debt that was believed to be repaid in gold. Two men, James Fisk and Jay Gould, attempted to control the gold market in anticipation of this debt, a scandal that reached all the way back to Grant’s administration. Grant appointed someone to his treasury that would tip off Fisk and Gould as to when the government intended to pay back that debt. After hoarding the gold the price had risen 30 percent, but when it went public, their worth plummeted and left many in ruins.
JFK and Marilyn Monroe’s Death (1962)
Of all the sex scandals in the presidential office, none was more popular as well as harder to prove than Marilyn Monroe’s involvement with the Kennedy brothers. The official cause of death of the late actress was ruled a probable suicide, but many people believed that to be a cover-up by John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert, who were both rumored of having affairs with Monroe. The more she threatened to out the Kennedys, the closer she came to her death, which occurred in her Los Angeles home in 1962 from barbiturate overdose. There was no evidence, only speculation about the Kennedys’ involvement. There are many conspiracy theories about her death, including the lack of pills in her system, but there is also a list of other people considered suspect. (Photo credit: Baron/Getty Images)
Teapot Dome (1921)
Albert Fall, a member of Warren G. Harding’s cabinet, was secretly selling oil production rights to Teapot Dome, Wyoming in exchange for profit and cattle. The public oil field was leased without competitive bidding by Fall, and upon investigation it was revealed that Fall had received large amounts of cash – one for $100k and more after his retirement – in exchange for the land. He was convicted on charges of bribery and sentenced. Harding died shortly after in office in 1923.
Whitewater Controversy (1992)
Whitewater was a word used to refer to several investigations during the Clinton administration, the first of which began towards the beginning of Bill Clinton’s term as president. He and his wife Hillary invested and lost a great deal of money in a real estate company. In 1992, an investigator linked the Clintons in a scandal where Bill had set up an illegal loan during his time as governor in Arkansas, which came into light during his early term as president. Susan McDougal, the woman who received the illegal loan was prosecuted – along with Clinton’s governing successor – but Clinton was never charged due to insufficient evidence. He did however grant McDougal a pardon after she served 18 months for not releasing information about Clinton’s involvement in Whitewater.
The Whiskey Ring (1875)
The Whiskey Ring is not the name of an awesome dive bar, but rather the political scandal in which government employees were pocketing whiskey taxes under the nose of the rest of the Ulysses S. Grant administration. Grant, considered one of America’s most corrupt presidents, caused more damage for himself when he secretly tried to protect one of the government officials who was implicated in the act, his secretary, while simultaneously punishing the rest.
Thomas Jefferson’s Affair (1802)
One of the first sex scandals in presidential history involved Thomas Jefferson and one of his younger slave girls, Sally Hemmings. In 1802, Jefferson was accused of having the affair with his slave, though he denied the charges and the story kind of went away. However, it was revived in recent years and it was recently found through DNA analysis that Jefferson did indeed father Hemmings’ child.
Iran-Contra Affair (1986)
During Ronald Reagan’s term in office, part of his cabinet was involved in the secret selling of arms to Iran, a member of their firearms trade embargo. While secretly selling the guns, they hoped to make the terrorists more likely to deal kindly with hostages while also secretly giving the money from their sales to Contras in Nicaragua for their own benefit, as well. The flying and selling of drugs into another country to raise money for war was also a part of the scandal.
Bush’s Domestic Wiretapping (2002)
Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, George W. Bush was involved in wiretapping of domestic phone calls. He and Congress passed the Patriot Act, which was designed and approved to help American leaders in the war against terrorism. From there, Bush’s administration began secret operations to listen in on domestic calls – one particular case between an Islamic charity and American attorneys. However, this action was deemed illegal in courts as it does not follow the guidelines of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which requires a warrant for such activity. (Photo credit: Douglas Graham/Roll Call/Getty Images)
The Oral Office (1998)
Bill Clinton may have been one of the best presidents we’ve had in years, but even great leaders are not without a scandal (or two). In 1998, Clinton’s big one came to the surface when it was reported that he had received sexual favors from 22-year-old intern Monica Lewinsky in his office. Clinton committed perjury by denying the affair in a previous deposition, which resulted in him becoming the second president – along with Andrew Jackson – to be impeached. Between this and Whitewater, we’d say the Clinton couple is virtually indestructible and hopefully will be back in 2016, where Hillary will have scandals of her own. (Photo credit: Getty Images / Handout)
Watergate (1972)
The only scandal to end in a U.S. president resigning from office is Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal. Occurring in 1972 and ending with his resignation in 1974, Nixon was involved in the break-in of a Democratic convention at the Watergate Hotel. The handful of men arrested and prosecuted were all in some way connected to Nixon and his committee for his reelection campaign. He was later busted, along with his Chief of Staff, in a very “House of Cards” style type of cover-up involving the CIA thwarting the FBI’s investigation into the break-in. Before his level of involvement could be determined, he resigned and flew away in a helicopter — a real Dick move.
All photos via Wikimedia Commons unless otherwise noted.
