The last two decades have brought us so many political sex scandals that we might be tempted to think they’re a new thing. However, looking back over the history of this great nation, you’ll see that political sex scandals have been embarrassing politicians and causing a stir since the very beginning. Here are just a few of the most interesting, the most memorable, and the most bizarre political sex scandals in American history.
1. Strom Thurmond: One of the most vocal advocates of segregation in America was famous for his racist views and outspoken manner of expressing them. It was shockingly revealed shortly after Thurmond’s death in 2003 that he had fathered a child with an African-American maid when the maid, Carrie Butler, was just 15. The subject of consent has been debated ever since then, with the question being raised as to whether the encounter was consentual or amounted to rape.
2. Franklin Roosevelt: The strong, no-nonsense president is best known for serving the nation during the Depression and creating the New Deal to help the economy recover. What is less widely known about the president is that he carried on a long-term affair with his wife’s former secretary, Lucy Mercer. Eleanor Roosevelt discovered evidence of the affair in 1918 and agreed to continue the marriage if her husband would stop seeing Mercer. The affair continued anyway, apparently unknown to Eleanor. Lucy Mercer was with the president when the fatal brain hemorrhage struck him in 1944.
3. James Buchanan: Often considered to be among the worst (or at least the most forgettable) American presidents, Buchanan spent much of his public life facing speculation about his sexual orientation. Although he was at one time engaged to a woman (Ann Coleman), she died before their wedding and he never married. He did, however, spend 15 years living with a male companion who many people speculated was more than just a close friend. William Rufus King was referred to as “Buchanan’s Wife,” “Aunt Fancy,” and various other nicknames which were believed to indicate the presence of a deeper relationship than was publicly admitted. Most of the men’s voluminous correspondence was burned upon Buchanan’s death, so this is one political rumor that will never be solved.
4. Clarence Thomas: Who could forget the high-profile and seemingly never-ending case of Clarence Thomas and his alleged sexual harassment of lawyer Anita Hill and several other women? During his Supreme Court appointment hearings, many allegations were made regarding Thomas’ allegedly inappropriate comments and actions regarding several female staff members. Thomas repeatedly denied any impropriety on his part and was eventually sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice.
5. Alexander Hamilton: Among the few political figures who managed to look like sort of a good guy even after a sex scandal, Hamilton fell victim to a con man and his wife in 1791. Maria Reynolds approached Hamilton (who was married with three children) for help that year, claiming that her husband had abandoned her and that she had nowhere to turn. The two began an intimate affair that lasted for about two years. During this time, Maria and her husband, James, blackmailed Hamilton for over $1000 (a princely sum in the late 18th century) in exchange for the uninterrupted continuation of the affair. After receiving their money, the couple spread nasty political rumors about Hamilton, alleging that he was involved in insider trading of political secrets. Hamilton eventually cleared his name with unprecedented honesty and candor, but his public image never fully recovered. Having been pegged as a future presidential candidate prior to the scandal, Hamilton’s influence fell sharply following the incidents.
6. David Vitter: The Louisiana senator had a strong record of family-values Republican votes, but was nevertheless found out last summer as a previous client of “D.C. Madame” Deborah Jeane Palfrey. By the time the story hit news outlets, Vitter said that he had already asked for and received forgiveness from God and his wife for the indiscretions, which occurred before his election to Senate in 2004.
7. Warren G. Harding: Another one of the most ill-remembered presidents in US history, it’s widely thought that Harding would have been impeached if not for his early death. There were so many scandals marring his time in office that most people were convinced he would have been booted from office soon enough. In addition to his political snafus and unpopular choices, there were several high-profile extramarital affairs that grabbed the nation’s attention. One involved a 15-year long affair with his friend’s wife, Carrie Phillips. Mrs. Phillips reportedly accepted a hush bribe of $20,000 during Harding’s presidential campaign. The most well-known of Harding’s extramarital strayings was with a woman named Nan Britton, who was 30 years younger than the President. He invited her into the White House on countless occasions, conducting their affair in closets, bathrooms, and any other unoccupied space. Britton bore a daughter who she claimed was Harding’s; although Harding never saw the child, he did provide generous child support payments. When President Harding died, many speculated that his wife, Florence, had poisoned him in retaliation.
8. Bill Clinton: The granddaddy of modern political sex scandals, Bill Clinton got himself into deep water when Paula Jones accused him of sexual harassment. As a result of that investigation, Clinton’s sex life was put under a microscope - and it was found that he was involved inappropriately with a young intern named Monica Lewinsky. The president was held up for impeachment after repeatedly lying to a grand jury about his involvement with Lewinsky, resulting in his eventual impeachment by the House of Representatives. The Senate, however, did not vote to remove Clinton from office, and he managed to leave his presidency with a 65% approval rating.
9. John F. Kennedy: Almost everyone knows about JFK’s philandering ways. From models to journalists to Marilyn Monroe, Kennedy was a proven ladies’ man who enjoyed more than his fair share of extramarital escapades. For the most part, though, they were covered up by the media both during his presidency and, for a time, after his death.
10. George W. Bush: You didn’t realize that G.W. Bush has been the subject of two sex scandals? Don’t feel bad - they were largely ignored by the media. The first was a former stripper named Tammy Phillips who claimed to have an 18-month affair with then-governor Bush which ended in 1999, just before his first presidential bid. The second, Margie Shoedinger, accused Bush of rape in 2002. She later apparently committed suicide. The most interesting component of these scandals was the speed with which they were discredited, swept away, and for the most part never became known to most Americans.
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