List of state and local political scandals in the United States
Encyclopedia
Scope and organization of political scandals
There is no hard and fast rule defining scandals. Though the dictionary may define scandal as "loss of or damage to reputation caused by actual or apparent violation of morality or propriety", in politics scandal should be kept separate from 'controversy,' (which implies two differing points of view) and 'unpopularity.' A good guideline is whether or not an action is, or appears to be, illegal. Since everyone, particularly a politician, is expected to be law abiding, breaking the law is, by definition, a scandal. The finding of a court with jurisdictionJurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
is the sole method used to determine a violation of law—though not all scandals reach a court.
Deficit spending, laws and court actions are not "scandals." Neither are mere investigations. Misunderstandings, breaches of ethics, unpopularity, unproven crimes or cover-ups may or may not result in scandals depending on who is bringing the charges, the amount of publicity garnered, and the seriousness of the crime, if any.
By definition, political scandals should involve politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s such as governors, secretaries, comptrollers, state senators and state representatives, their close staff and appointees. Private citizens, businessmen, party chiefs and civilians may be mentioned but not featured in a entry.
This article is divided by decade and then by state in alphabetical order.
At the bottom of the article are links to related articles which deal with politicians who are actually convicted of crimes, as well as differentiating between federal, state and local scandals and two separate articles are devoted to political sex scandals and convictions.
2010–
- AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
State Representative Terry Spicer plead guilty to accepting more than $3000 per month in bribes. (2011) - AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
Four state senators and 7 others were indicted for fraud, bribery and conspiracy concerning the state's gambling laws. (2010) Accused include;
- Harri Anne SmithHarri Anne SmithSenator Harri Anne Smith, a native of Slocomb, Alabama is a graduate of Slocomb High School and received her Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Troy State University....
(R) Ran in 2010 as an Independent. - James Preuitt (R)
- Larry MeansLarry MeansLarry Means is a Democratic member of the Alabama Senate, representing the 10th District since 1998. He was arrested October 4, 2010 on corruption charges. Larry P...
(D) - Quinton Ross Jr. (D)
- CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Assembly Member Mary HayashiMary HayashiMary Hayashi was elected to the California State Assembly in 2006. She was re-elected in 2008 and 2010. She is a Democrat. She represents the 18th Assembly District which includes San Leandro, Hayward, Dublin and the unincorporated areas of Ashland, Cherryland, and San Lorenzo...
(D) charged with felony grand theft for shop lifting. (2011)
- CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
State Senator Roy AshburnRoy AshburnRoy Arthur Ashburn is an American politician from Kern County, California. A Republican, he served as a California State Senator from 2002 to 2010 representing the 18th district. He previously served three terms in the California State Assembly, representing the 32nd district and 12 years on the...
(R) of Bakersfield was noted leaving a gay bar and arrested on two counts of DUI. The divorced father of four confirmed he was gay on a local radio station, even though he had voted against several gay rights initiatives. (2010) - CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Southern California Treasurer Kinde Durkee (D) was arrested for possible mail fraud.
- ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
former US Congressman and Gubernatorial Candidate Scott McInnisScott McInnisStephen Scott Emory McInnis is a lawyer and former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado. In August, 2010, McInnis lost his bid to be gubernatorial nominee after a plagiarism accusation and apology hurt his standing.-Education and professional history:Born in...
(R-CO) lost the primary election for governor after revelations surfaced that he plagiarized an essay on water rights, for which he had been paid $300,000.
- FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
State Senator M. Mandy DawsonM. Mandy DawsonMuriel Mandy Dawson is a Democratic member of the Florida Senate, representing the 29th District since 1999. Previously she was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1992 through 1998.-External links:* official government website...
(D) was arrested for tax evasion in July 2011.
- FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
GOP Chairman Jim GreerJim GreerJames Greer is an American politician, serving from 2006 to 2010 as the Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. Previously, Greer served as Deputy Mayor of Oviedo, Fla., worked as a lobbyist in Tallahassee for the restaurant and bar industry, and ran a company called Regulatory Compliance...
(R) resigned from his position and was later arrested on six counts of fraud for stealing at least $125,000 from the Republican Party (United States)Republican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. (2010)
- IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
State Senator John McGeeJohn McGee (politician)John McGee is a Republican member of the Idaho Senate, representing the 10th District since 2004. He is currently serving as the Majority Caucus Chairman, the number four leadership position in the Idaho Senate.- Early life and career :...
(R) was arrested in June for drunk driving and grand theft auto after drunkenly driving away with someone else's truck. (2011) On July 16, 2011, the Republican Central Committee for the State of Idaho approved a no-confidence motion on McGee.
- IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
2008 gubernatorial candidate Rex RammellRex RammellRex Rammell is a conservative politician from Idaho. Rammell ran unsuccessfully in the 2008 Idaho senatorial election against Republican Jim Risch, polling 5.4% of the vote, and in 2009 announced that he would seek the Republican nomination for governor in the 2010 Idaho gubernatorial election. He...
(R) was arrested for felony jury tampering concerning an elk poaching trail in which he eventually pled guilty. (2011)
- IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
former gubernatorial candidate Rex RammellRex RammellRex Rammell is a conservative politician from Idaho. Rammell ran unsuccessfully in the 2008 Idaho senatorial election against Republican Jim Risch, polling 5.4% of the vote, and in 2009 announced that he would seek the Republican nomination for governor in the 2010 Idaho gubernatorial election. He...
(R) was arrested for battery after he confronted a couple he alleges were trespassing. (2011)
- IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
State Senator Suzi SchmidtSuzi SchmidtSuzi Schmidt is a Republican Illinois State Senator, representing the 31st district since her inauguration in January 2011. She previously served as Chairman of the Board of Lake County, Illinois from 2000 to 2010.-Education and early career:...
(R) announced she would not run for office in 2012. She had been criticized for telling a 911 operator to "just ignore" calls from her husband, "because he knows I have connctions."
- IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
Deputy Attorney General Jeff CoxJeff CoxJeffrey Lindon Cox is a Major League Baseball third base coach for the Chicago White Sox. Previously, Cox was a second baseman for the Oakland Athletics during the 1980 and 1981 seasons...
(R) was fired on February 24, 2011 after he sent a Twitter stating that Wisconsin police should "Use live ammunition" to evict protestors from the state capitol. He later continued, "You're damn right I advocate the deadly force."
- MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Middlesex County Sheriff James DiPaolaJames DiPaolaJames Vincent DiPaola was county sheriff of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from 1996 until his death in 2010. He had served as a Malden police officer for 18 years and was a Massachusetts state representative from 1993 to 1996. On November 26, 2010, DiPaola committed suicide...
(D) was questioned by Boston GlobeThe Boston GlobeThe Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
reporters for exploiting a state pension loophole. The next day, DiPaola phoned the Globe and confessed. On November 27, 2010, DiPaola was found dead in Wells, MaineWells, MaineWells is a town in York County, Maine, United States. Founded in 1643, it is the third-oldest town in Maine. The population was 9,400 at the 2000 census. Wells Beach is a popular summer destination.-History:...
from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
- MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
: Former State Representative Brian P. Wallace was indicted on criminal campaign finance violations on July 21, 2011.
- MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
Judge Bobby DeLaughterBobby DeLaughterRobert "Bobby" DeLaughter is an American Mississippi state prosecutor, judge, and author. He is notable for prosecuting and securing the conviction in 1994 of Byron De La Beckwith, charged with the murder of the civil rights leader Medgar Evers on June 12, 1963...
, who was made famous for finally convicting Byron De La BeckwithByron De La BeckwithByron De La Beckwith, Jr. was an American white supremacist and Klansman from Greenwood, Mississippi who was convicted in the 1994 state trial of assassinating the civil rights leader Medgar Evers on June 12, 1963....
in 1994 for the 1963 murder of civil rights leader Medgar EversMedgar EversMedgar Wiley Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi involved in efforts to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi...
, pled guilty to one count of lying to the FBI in an unrelated case and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
- MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
Press Secretary Dan Turner (R) resigned from the staff of Governor Haley BarbourHaley BarbourHaley Reeves Barbour is an American Republican politician currently serving as the 63rd Governor of Mississippi. He gained a national spotlight in August 2005 after Mississippi was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Barbour won re-election as Governor in 2007...
(R) after Turner e-mailed jokes about the Japanese earthquake and Democratic Attorney General Janet RenoJanet RenoJanet Wood Reno is a former Attorney General of the United States . She was nominated by President Bill Clinton on February 11, 1993, and confirmed on March 11...
were made public. (2011)
- New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
state senate candidate Phil Mitsch (R) was dropped by the state GOP saying this man is "not worth supporting." Mitsch had sent two twitters stating that, "a woman should be a maid in the living room and a whore in the bedroom."
- New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
State Senator Hiram MonserrateHiram MonserrateHiram Monserrate is a former member of the New York State Senate. He represented the 13th District which includes the Queens neighborhoods of Jackson Heights, Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst and Woodside...
(D) of the 13th District, was expelled by the New York State Senate on February 9, 2010 in connection with a misdemeanor assault conviction against his girlfriend.
- New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
businessman Carl PaladinoCarl PaladinoCarl Pasquale Paladino is an American businessman and political activist from Buffalo, New York. Paladino is the founder and chairman of Ellicott Development Company, a real estate development company he founded in 1973. He was the 2010 Republican nominee for the New York gubernatorial election,...
(R) running for Governor of New York and supported by the Tea Party movementTea Party movementThe Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009...
admitted to his wife and children that he also has a ten-year-old daughter from an extramarital relationshipAffairAffair may refer to professional, personal, or public business matters or to a particular business or private activity of a temporary duration, as in family affair, a private affair, or a romantic affair.-Political affair:...
with former employee, Suzanne Brady.
- New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
State Senator Efrain GonzalezEfrain GonzalezEfrain Gonzalez Jr. was New York senator and convicted Felon.He was the Chair of the Minority Conference within the Senate, as well as Chairman Emeritus of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, Chair of the New York State Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force. He is President of the...
(D) On May 25, 2010, Gonzalez was sentenced to 84 months (7 years) in prison, followed by two years supervised release, after pleading guilty to two conspiracyConspiracy (crime)In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
counts and two wire fraudWire fraudMail and wire fraud is a federal crime in the United States. Together, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, and 1346 reach any fraudulent scheme or artifice to intentionally deprive another of property or honest services with a nexus to mail or wire communication....
counts in May 2009.
- North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
three associates including the Campaign Finance Director of Governor Bev PerdueBev PerdueBeverly Eaves "Bev" Perdue is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party currently serving as the 73rd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina. She is the first female governor of North Carolina....
(D) have been indicted for obstructing justice. Perdue was not implicated.
- PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
State Representative John M. PerzelJohn M. PerzelJohn Michael Perzel is an American politician and member of the Republican Party. Perzel represented 172nd Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1978 until 2010. From April 2003 to January 2007, he served as House Speaker...
(R) and one time speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives pleaded guilty to eight criminal charges, including two counts of conflict of interest, two counts of theft, and four counts of conspiracy, concerning a scheme to spend millions of taxpayer dollars on computer technology from Aristotle, Inc.Aristotle, Inc.Aristotle, Inc. is a U.S. company founded and led by brothers John Aristotle Phillips and Dean Aristotle Phillips in 1983, specializing in data-mining voter data for political campaigns....
for the benefit of GOP political campaigns. - PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
State Representative Mike VeonMike VeonMichael R. Veon is a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 14th District from 1985 through 2006.-Personal life:...
(D) was found guilty on 14 counts of illegal campaign fund raising. (2010)
- PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
State Senator Vince Fumo (D) On March 16, 2009, Fumo was found guilty of 137 counts of corruption. His former aide, Ruth Arnao, was found guilty of 45 counts. On July 14, 2009, Fumo was sentenced to 55 months in prison.
- Rhode IslandRhode IslandThe state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
State Representative Daniel P. Gordon (R) of Porstmouth when arrested for drunk driving told police it was due to PTSD from being wounded in the Gulf WarGulf WarThe Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. A check reveiled he was never in combat, but did reveal an extensive arrest record in MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
for assault and attempted murder. Both the House Speaker and GOP leader have asked him to resign. (2011)
- South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
State Representative Kris Crawford (R) from Florence County, was charged with seven counts of failure to file state tax documents. (2010)
- UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
State Representative Sheldon KillpackSheldon KillpackSheldon Killpack is an American politician from Utah. A Republican, he was formerly the senate majority leader of the Utah State Senate, where he represented the state's 21st senate district in Syracuse....
(R) The Utah House Majority Leader resigned after being charged with suspicion of DUI. (2010)
2000–2009
- AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
Governor Don SiegelmanDon SiegelmanDon Eugene Siegelman is an American Democratic Party politician who held numerous offices in Alabama. He was the 51st Governor of Alabama for one term from 1999 to 2003...
(D) was found guilty of bribery, mail fraud and obstruction of justice on 29 June 2006, and sentenced to 88 months. - AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
State Senator Edward McClainEdward McClainEdward Browning 'E. B.' McClain was a Democratic member of the Alabama Senate, representing the 19th District from 1995 through 2009. Previously he was a member of the Alabama House of Representatives, from 1987 through 1994.- Conviction :...
(D) was convicted on January 21, 2009 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama on 48 counts of money launderingMoney launderingMoney laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
, mail fraud, bribery and conspiracy. He lost his seat because of the conviction.
- AlaskaAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
Governor Sarah PalinSarah PalinSarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
(R) vice presidential nominee in the 2008 elections. TroopergateAlaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissalThe Alaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissal, also known as Troopergate, involves the July 2008 dismissal of the Public Safety Commissioner for the State of Alaska by Governor Sarah Palin....
refers to her dismissal of Walt MoneganWalt MoneganWalter Carleton "Walt" Monegan, III is the former Police Chief of Anchorage, Alaska and Public Safety Commissioner of Alaska. His dismissal in July 2008 by Alaska Governor Sarah Palin drew considerable attention, particularly after Palin's selection as the Vice-Presidential nominee for the...
, allegedly because he would not fire State Trooper Mike Wooten, Palin's ex-brother-in-law.
- A bipartisan Council of Alaskan State Legislators found (in the Branchflower Report) that Palin "abused her power", violating the State Executive Ethics Act.
- The State of Alaska Personnel Board, which has jurisdiction over state employee ethics cases, completed its own investigation and found no wrong-doing.
- Alaska political corruption probe in which VECO Corporation, an oilfield service corporation, was investigated by the IRS, FBI and Department of Justice. Veco executives Bill AllenBill Allen (corporate CEO)William J. "Bill" Allen is the co-founder and former CEO of the Alaska oilfield services company VECO Corporation. VECO Corporation was an Alaska-based oil pipeline service and construction company. Bill Allen was born in New Mexico and at the age of 16 left for the oil fields of Alaska to become...
and VP Rick Smith pleaded guilty to federal charges of extortion, bribery, and conspiracy to impede the Internal Revenue ServiceInternal Revenue ServiceThe Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
. The charges involved bribing Alaska lawmakers who came to be known as the "Corrupt Bastards Club" to vote in favor of an oil tax law favored by VECO that was the subject of vigorous debate during the regular and two special sessions of the Alaska LegislatureAlaska LegislatureThe Alaska Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is a bicameral institution, consisting of the lower Alaska House of Representatives, with 40 members, and the upper house Alaska Senate, with 20 members...
in 2006, and were part of a larger probe of political corruption in Alaska by federal authorities.
- Alaska political corruption probe in which VECO Corporation, an oilfield service corporation, was investigated by the IRS, FBI and Department of Justice. Veco executives Bill Allen
- Thomas AndersonTom Anderson (politician)Thomas T. "Tom" Anderson is a consultant and former Alaska state representative for District 19 representing northeast Anchorage, Alaska...
(R) State Representative for District 19. Found guilty of seven felony counts of extortion, bribery, conspiracy, and money laundering. Sentenced on October 15, 2007 to a term of 60 months in prison. - Pete KottPete KottPeter "Pete" Kott is a former Republican state representative for District 17 serving Eagle River, Alaska, in the Alaska Legislature for seven terms, from 1993 until 2007. He was Speaker of the House during his sixth term in 2003-2004...
(R) State Representative for District 17. On September 25, 2007, he was found guilty on three charges of bribery and sentenced to six years in prison and fined $10,000. - Vic KohringVic KohringVic Kohring is a former Alaska State legislator. He was elected to seven consecutive two-year terms in the Alaska House of Representatives, beginning in 1994. Kohring represented District 14, Wasilla....
(R) State Representative convicted on November 1, 2007, of three counts of bribery by the Veco Corporation. In May 2008 he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison. - Jim ClarkJim ClarkJames "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965....
(R) Chief of Staff to Governor Frank MurkowskiFrank MurkowskiFrancis Hughes Murkowski is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He was a United States Senator from Alaska from 1981 until 2002 and the eighth Governor of Alaska from 2002 until 2006.- Early life and career :...
(R) On March 4, 2008, Clark pleaded guilty to one felony conspiracy charge involving the Alaska political corruption probe. - Bruce WeyhrauchBruce WeyhrauchBruce Weyhrauch is a former legislator in the Alaska State House representing Juneau. In May 2007, Weyhrauch, along with fellow legislators Pete Kott and Vic Kohring were charged in connection with a scandal involving oilfield service company VECO attempting to buy government favors in Alaska...
(R) State Representative of Juneau was sentenced to five years for bribery, extortion and mail fraud. - John CowderyJohn CowderyJohn Cowdery is a Republican member of the Alaska Senate, representing the O District since 2001. He was previously a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 1982 through 1984, and from 1997 through 2000.-External links:...
(R) State Senator of O district. Pled guilty to a conspiracy charge related to the Veco scandal. Sentenced to six months' house arrest and a $25,000 fine. - Beverly Masek (R) State Representative of Willow, was sentenced to six months on September 23, 2009 for soliciting bribes. http://www.adn.com/295/story/947518.html
- Ted StevensTed StevensTheodore Fulton "Ted" Stevens, Sr. was a United States Senator from Alaska, serving from December 24, 1968, until January 3, 2009, and thus the longest-serving Republican senator in history...
US Senator (R) – The Veco Corporation was also responsible for "extensive" remodeling at Stevens' home, which doubled in size. Stevens was convicted on all seven charges on October 27, 2008. The charges were later dismissed by Attorney General Eric HolderEric HolderEric Himpton Holder, Jr. is the 82nd and current Attorney General of the United States and the first African American to hold the position, serving under President Barack Obama....
(D) on April 1, 2009, citing problems with the federal prosecutors case. See Federal scandals.
- CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
State Senator Roderick WrightRoderick Wright (politician)Roderick D. Wright is a Democratic politician who was elected to represent California's 25th State Senate district in 2008. Senator Wright previously represented California's 48th State Assembly district from 1996 until he was term limited in 2002.-Education and Pre Legislative Career:Senator...
(D) charged with two counts of perjury, one count of filing a false declaration of candidacy and five counts of voting fraud. A grand jury accused him of lying about his address when he filed to run for office in 2008. (2008)
- CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
State Representative Michael Duvall (R-CA) The conservative, family values married politician and father of two resigned abruptly after talking with another legislator over a microphone that was live, during which he described two of his current affairs.
- CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
State Senator Carole MigdenCarole MigdenCarole Migden is an American politician from San Francisco, California who represented the third district of the California State Senate from 2004 to 2008 and the 13th district of the California State Assembly from 1996 to 2002....
(D-CA) – The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) found 89 violations in campaign finance reporting. The FPPC settled the dispute with Migden for a record $350,000 fine. Migden went on to lose her reelection bid to fellow Democrat Assemblyman Mark LenoMark LenoMark Leno is an American politician, representing California's 3rd Senate district, which includes parts of San Francisco and Sonoma County, as well as the entirety of Marin County. He was elected in 2008 and is the first openly gay man to serve in the Senate...
(2008)
- CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Secretary of State Kevin Shelley (D-CA) was accused of laundering campaign funds and sexual abuse, though he was never charged. He later resigned (2005). - CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Insurance Commissioner Chuck QuackenbushChuck QuackenbushCharles "Chuck" Quackenbush is a Florida law enforcement officer and former California Republican politician. He served as Insurance Commissioner of California from 1995–2000 and as a California State Assemblyman representing the 22nd District, from 1986–1994.- Background and political career :As...
(R-CA) resigned on June 28, 2000, rather than face impeachment for campaign-finance violations arising out of insurance-industry settlements after the 1994 Northridge earthquakeNorthridge earthquakeThe Northridge earthquake was a massive earthquake that occurred on January 17, 1994, at 04:31 Pacific Standard Time in Reseda, a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, lasting for about 10–20 seconds...
. However, prosecutors later found no wrongdoings and dismissed all charges. (2000)
- ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
Governor John G. RowlandJohn G. RowlandJohn Grosvenor Rowland was the 86th Governor of Connecticut from 1995 to 2004; he is a member of the Republican Party. He is married to Patty Rowland, his second wife, and the couple have five children between them...
(R-CT) – Rowland resigned from office during a corruption investigation, and later pleaded guilty in federal court to one count with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and tax fraud. (2004) He served ten months in a federal prison followed by four months house arrestHouse arrestIn justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
, ending in June 2006.
- FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
State Representative Ray SansomRay SansomRay Sansom was a member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing portions of Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties from 2002 to February 21, 2010....
(R-FL) resigned as Speaker of the House and was then indicted on charges of grand theft and conspiracy in conjunction with a GOP fund-raiser and developer and the president of a local college. His trial is set for January 2010. - FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
Senator Gary SiplinGary SiplinGary Anthony Siplin is a Democratic member of the Florida Senate, representing the 19th District since 2003. Previously he was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2000 through 2002....
(D-FL) was convicted of third-degree felony and grand theft of $5,000 or more for using state employees for his election campaign. The felony conviction was dropped on appeal. (2006)
- GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
Schools Superintendent Linda SchrenkoLinda SchrenkoLinda Schrenko is a former superintendent of schools in the U.S. state of Georgia who was convicted on an embezzlement scheme and sentenced to 8 years in prison.- Biography :Schrenko was born on July 24, 1949, in Millen, Georgia...
(R-GA) was sentenced to eight years in prison for embezzlement of federal education funds. - GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
Congressman David ScottDavid ScottDavid Randolph Scott is an American engineer, test pilot, retired U.S. Air Force officer, and former NASA astronaut and engineer, who was one of the third group of astronauts selected by NASA in October 1963...
(D-GA) has expended $52,000 to $344,000 of campaign funds to himself, friends, family and business during every election cycle since 2002. Shortly after the 2006 election, he was served with an IRS tax lien for over $153,000.
- IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Governor Rod BlagojevichRod BlagojevichRod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
(D) was arrested and charged with 24 counts of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and solicitation of bribery in so-called "Pay to Play" schemes, including the alleged sale of President Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's vacated U.S. Senate seat which he described in a wire tap as "f*****g golden". Before trial he was impeached and removed from office by 59–0 votes of the Illinois Senate. (January 28, 2009) On August 17, 2010, he was convicted on one of the 24 federal charges, lying to the FBI, and the jury was hungHung juryA hung jury or deadlocked jury is a jury that cannot, by the required voting threshold, agree upon a verdict after an extended period of deliberation and is unable to change its votes due to severe differences of opinion.- England and Wales :...
on the 23 other counts. In a retrial in 2011, he was acquitted on one count, the jury reached no decision on two counts, and he was found guilty on 17 other counts.
- Alonzo Monk (D), former chief of staff to Rod BlagojevichRod BlagojevichRod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud (2009). - Christopher KellyChristopher KellySir Christopher William Kelly, KCB is a former senior British Civil Servant who is currently the Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life and Chairman of the NSPCC.-Early life:...
(D,) advisor to Rod Blagojevich, pleaded guilty to fax fraud (2009). - John F. HarrisJohn F. HarrisJohn F. Harris is an American political journalist and the editor in chief for Politico, an Arlington, Virginia based political news organization. With Politico executive editor, Jim VandeHei, Harris founded Politico for its launch on January 23, 2007...
(D) chief of staff to Rod Blagojevich, pled quilty to one count of mail fraud (2009)- IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Governor George H. Ryan (R-IL) illegal sale of government licenses and contracts as Illinois Secretary of State and Governor. Convicted of 18 counts of corruption. (2006)
- Illinois
- KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
Governor Ernie FletcherErnie FletcherErnest Lee "Ernie" Fletcher is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. In 1999, he was elected to the first of three consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives; he resigned in 2003 after being elected the 60th governor of Kentucky and served in that office...
(R) was indicted for illegal hiring and firing of state employees. Charges were later dropped under an agreement with the Attorney General.
- LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
Governor Edwin EdwardsEdwin EdwardsEdwin Washington Edwards served as the Governor of Louisiana for four terms , twice as many terms as any other Louisiana chief executive has served. Edwards was also Louisiana's first Roman Catholic governor in the 20th century...
(D) was convicted of extortion, mail fraud and money laundering. (2000) - LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
Insurance Commissioner James H. "Jim" Brown (D) convicted of lying to FBI investigators.
- MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
State Representative and House Speaker Thomas FinneranThomas FinneranThomas M. Finneran , is a radio talk host and former Massachusetts Democratic politician who served as Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from April 1996 to September 2004...
(D) pled guilty to one count of obstruction of justice concerning misconduct during redistricting.(2004) - MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
State Representative Salvatore DiMasiSalvatore DiMasiSalvatore F. "Sal" DiMasi is a former Democratic state representative in Massachusetts. The former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives originally joined the state legislature in 1979, as a member of the Democratic Party...
(D), the Speaker of the House resigned January 25, 2009, after being indicted on charges of corruption and extortion in connection with the state's computer contracts. - MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
State Senator Diane Wilkerson (D) was video-taped by the FBI stuffing bribe money into her bra. She was charged with tax evasion, ethics violations and perjury. On June 3, 2010 Wilkerson pleaded guilty to eight counts of attempted extortion. She was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison.(2011) - MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
: Boston Councilman Chuck TurnerChuck TurnerChuck Turner is a Boston, Massachusetts politician, activist, and convicted felon, who served on the Boston City Council representing District 7. Turner is a member of the Green-Rainbow Party Massachusetts affiliate to the national Green Party...
(Green party) was videotaped by an FBI informant accepting $1,000 cash in exchange for pushing a liquor license for a Roxbury nightclub. Turner was found guilty of making false statements and bribery on October 29, 2010. He was sentenced to three years in jail.
- MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
State Senator Thomas L. BromwellThomas L. BromwellThomas L. Bromwell is a former Democratic state senator in Maryland, United States.-Background:Bromwell was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1979 to represent District 9 in Baltimore County and Baltimore City. In 1983, he successfully ran for the seat of District 8 in the...
(D) was convicted in 2007 and sentenced to seven years in prison for racketeering, corruption and fraud to benefit the construction company of Poole and Kent.
- MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
State Representative David JayeDavid JayeDavid Jaye is a former Republican politician from Michigan. He is considered one of the most controversial politicians from Michigan. He was the first state senator in Michigan's history to be ousted from the State Senate...
(R) was expelled from the House after allegations of wife beating and three drunk driving convictions.
- MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
the Republican Party of MinnesotaRepublican Party of MinnesotaThe Republican Party of Minnesota is the Minnesota branch of the United States Republican Party. Elected by the party’s state central committee in June 2009, its chairman is Tony Sutton, and its deputy-chairman is Michael Brodkorb.-Early history:...
was fined $170,000 for violating federal campaign finance regulations from 2003-2008. (2011)
- MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
State Senator Jeff Smith (D) resigned from the Senate effective August 25, 2009 after confessing to two counts of obstruction of justice. He was sentenced to one year and a day of prison and fined $50,000. - MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
State Representative Nathan CooperNathan CooperNathan Cooper was an attorney in Missouri elected to serve in the Missouri House of Representatives in 2004 and resigned this position in 2007 after pleading guilty to federal crimes of immigration fraud. The Missouri Supreme Court suspended his license to practice law. He was sentenced to 15...
(R) resigned shortly before he was convicted on two felony counts of immigration fraud in 2007.
- NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
State Treasurer Lorelee Byrd (R-NE) pled guilty plea to one misdemeanor charge of misconduct and resigned in 2003. - NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
Governor Jim Gibbons (R) was under investigation for alleged bribery when U.S. Attorney for Nevada Daniel BogdenDaniel BogdenDaniel G. Bogden is best known for serving as United States Attorney for the District of Nevada, and being part of the Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy....
(R) was fired by George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
(R) in 2006. (see List of state and local political sex scandals in the United States) - NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
State Controller Kathy AugustineKathy AugustineKathy Marie Alfano Augustine was a U.S. Republican Party politician from Nevada. She served in the Nevada Assembly and in the Nevada Senate...
(R-NV) was impeached and convicted, but not removed from office. (2004)
- New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
State Representative Nancy WarrenNancy WarrenNancy Warren is a Pacific Northwest author of contemporary romance novels. She received her first publication contract after winning Harlequin's 2000 Summer Blaze contest...
(D) was charged with stalking a neighbor and trespassing on his property, the third time in two months. (2008) - 2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandalThe 2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal involves the use of a telemarketing firm hired by that state's Republican Party for election tampering. The tampering involved using a call center to jam the phone lines of a Get Out the Vote operation...
In the 2002 Senate election Charles McGee was the Executive Director of the New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
Republican PartyRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. He was convicted of using computerized phone calls to "disrupt enemy communications" of a Democratic effort to get out the vote for their candidate running against John E. SununuJohn E. SununuJohn Edward Sununu is a former Republican United States Senator from New Hampshire, of Lebanese and Palestinian Christian ancestry. Sununu was the youngest member of the Senate for his entire six year term. He is the son of former New Hampshire Governor John H...
(R). It was one of the largest scandals in the state's history. Sununu was elected by about 19,000 votes.
- Charles McGee pleaded guilty to a felony and was sentenced to seven months.
- Allen RaymondAllen RaymondAllen Raymond is a Republican political consultant in the United States who spent three months in federal prison for his role in the 2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, for which he was convicted of making harassing phone calls across state lines, a felony.Raymond told...
was sentenced to three months in federal prison. - James TobinJames Tobin (political operative)James Tobin was President George W. Bush's New England campaign chairman. He was convicted on December 15, 2005, of telephone harassment "for his part in a plot to jam the Democratic Party's phones on Election Day 2002"...
Regional Director of the Republican Senatorial Committee was also convicted, but was reversed on appeal.
- New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
Operation Bid RigOperation Bid RigOperation Bid Rig is an ongoing, long-term investigation into political corruption in New Jersey conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey since 2002...
: An FBI sting operation indicted 44 New Jersey officials and several Rabbis, mainly for bribery, counterfeiting of intellectual property, money laundering, organ harvesting, and political corruption. Arrested were:
- Daniel M. Van Pelt (R) NJ State Assemblyman (representative). Resigned after indictment for bribery.
- Acting Mayor of Jersey City L. Harvey SmithL. Harvey SmithL. Harvey Smith is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly from January 8, 2008 to January 10, 2010, where he represented the 31st legislative district. He is the former Acting Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey and previously served in the New...
(D) indicted for accepting a briber. - Mayor of Hoboken Peter J. Cammarano (D) Plead guilty to accepting a bribe.
- Mayor of Secaucus Dennis Elwell (politician)Dennis Elwell (politician)Dennis P. Elwell served as Mayor of Secaucus, New Jersey from 2000 until July 28, 2009, when he resigned after allegations of political corruption.-Biography:...
(D) Resigned afted being accused of accepting a bribe. - Mayor of Ridgefield Anthony SuarezAnthony R. SuarezAnthony R. Suarez is a New Jersey attorney and has served as Mayor of Ridgefield, New Jersey since 2004.-Biography:Suarez was born in Englewood, New Jersey and was raised in Ridgefield. He graduated from Ridgefield Memorial High School in 1984. He then attended Saint Peter's College in Jersey...
(D) charged with accepting a bribe.- New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
Mayor of Newark Sharpe JamesSharpe JamesSharpe James is a Democratic politician and convicted felon from New Jersey, who served as State Senator for the 29th Legislative District and was 35th Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. James was the second African American Mayor of Newark and served five four-year terms before declining to run for...
(D) Was convicted of corruption charges including, mail fraud, conspiracy, wire fraud. (2007) - New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
State Senator Wayne Bryant (D) pension padding, no-show jobs, mail fraud, wire fraud and bribery. (2007) - New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
State Senator Joseph ConiglioJoseph ConiglioJoseph Coniglio Coniglio, a former plumber turned politician was the Chairman of the State Government Committee, and also served on the Senate Labor Committee and the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee...
(D) was indicted for funneled more than $1 million in public funding to Hackensack University Medical Center after it gave him a high-paying consulting job. He was convicted on April 17, 2009 on six counts of fraud and extortion and sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison.
- New Jersey
- New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
State Senate Leader Manny Aragon (D) was found guilty of three counts of conspiracy to defraud $4.4 million from the State of New Mexico. (2009)
- New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
State Senator and Republican Majority Leader Joseph BrunoJoseph BrunoJoseph L. Bruno is an American businessman, and Republican politician. He was the Temporary President of the New York State Senate and its majority leader. Most recently he also served as Lieutenant Governor of New York ....
(R-NY) – On January 23, 2009, Bruno was indicted on eight counts of corruption, including mail and wire fraud. He was convicted on two counts of wire fraud. - New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
State Representative Brian McLaughlin (D-NY) was arrested in 2008 and sentenced to ten years in prison for racketeering.(2009)
- North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
Governor Mike Easley (D-NC) involved in several scandals including lavish living and travel irregularities. He pled guilty to one count of campaign fraud and was fined $1000. (2009) - North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
Commissioner of Agriculture Meg Scott PhippsMeg Scott PhippsMeg Scott Phipps was the Commissioner of Agriculture for the state of North Carolina from 2001 to 2003.-Early life:She is the daughter of former North Carolina governor Bob Scott and former First Lady Jessie Rae Scott, as well as the granddaughter of former U.S. Senator and North Carolina Governor...
(D-NC) pleaded guilty to campaign finance charges and served three years in prison. (2003) - North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
Representative James B. BlackJames B. BlackDr. James "Jim" Boyce Black is a member of the North Carolina Democratic Party, and a former Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly who represented the state's 100th House district, including constituents in Mecklenburg County...
(D) pleaded guilty to a federalUnited States CodeThe Code of Laws of the United States of America is a compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal laws of the United States...
charge of public corruptionPolitical corruptionPolitical corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
on February 15, 2007, and was sentenced to five years in prison. See Michael DeckerMichael P. DeckerMichael Paul Decker, Sr. is a former member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's ninety-fourth House district, including constituents in Forsyth County...
(R) - North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
Representative Michael DeckerMichael P. DeckerMichael Paul Decker, Sr. is a former member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's ninety-fourth House district, including constituents in Forsyth County...
(R) was bribed by James B. BlackJames B. BlackDr. James "Jim" Boyce Black is a member of the North Carolina Democratic Party, and a former Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly who represented the state's 100th House district, including constituents in Mecklenburg County...
(D) to switch parties and vote for Black. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to four years in prison. - Frank W. Ballance (D-NC) was sentenced to four years in prison for corruption while a State Senator in North Carolina. (2004)
- OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
State Auditor Jeff McMahan (D-OK) was convicted of accepting bribes. (2008)
- OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
Governor Bob TaftBob TaftRobert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
(R-OH) pleaded no contest and was convicted on four misdemeanor ethics violations. He was fined $4000 and ordered to apologize to the people of Ohio. (2005) - OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
Attorney General Marc DannMarc DannMarc Dann Marc Dann Marc Dann (born March 12, 1962, in Evanston, Illinois, is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1984 from the University of Michigan and a law degree in 1987 from Case Western Reserve University, and practiced law in Youngstown,...
(D-OH) resigns from the post of Attorney General because of a sex scandal and campaign finance irregularities. He resigned on May 14, 2008.
- PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
State Senator Vincent FumoVincent FumoVincent Joseph "Vince" Fumo is a former politician, lawyer and businessman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A Democrat, he represented a south Philadelphia district in the Pennsylvania Senate from 1978 to 2008. On March 16, 2009, he was convicted of 137 federal corruption charges...
(D-PA) was found guilty of 139 counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and filing a false tax return. Two staffers were also arrested and indicted on charges of destroying electronic evidence, including e-mail related to the investigation. (2009) - PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
State Representative Thomas W. DruceThomas W. DruceThomas W. Druce is a former Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He represented the 144th legislative district.He graduated from William Tennent High School in 1979 and from Westminster College in 1983...
(R) was convicted in 2000 of a 1999 hit and runHit and run (vehicular)Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
that killed a man. He served two years in prison before his release in 2006. - PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
State Representative Linda Bebko-JonesLinda Bebko-JonesLinda Bebko-Jones was an American politician who represented the 1st district of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, which includes portions of Erie County.-Personal:...
(D-PA) and her chief-of-staff were charged with forging some of the signatures on their nominating petitions. They were both sentenced to 12 months probation and fined $1,500 with community service. (2007) - PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
State Representative Frank LaGrottaFrank LaGrottaFrank LaGrotta is a former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 10th District from 1987 to 2006.-Personal life:...
(D-PA) plead guilty to 2-counts of corruption for giving away $26,000 of state funds to family members through ghost employment in the 2006 Pennsylvania General Assembly bonus controversy2006 Pennsylvania General Assembly bonus controversyIn 2007, Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett began investigating $3.8 million in bonuses paid to legislative staffers in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. While the bonuses themselves are not illegal under state law, the Attorney General is investigating the possibility that the bonuses...
. He was sentenced to 6 months house arrest, probation, and fines. (2007) - PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
State Senator Bill SlocumBill SlocumWilliam L. "Bill" Slocum is a former Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate. Slocum pleaded guilty and spent a month in federal prison for filing false reports to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and discharging raw sewage into Brokenstraw Creek while he was a...
(R-PA) pled guilty to six criminal misdemeanor charges for filing false reports to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental ProtectionPennsylvania Department of Environmental ProtectionThe Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection was established on July 1, 1995, is the agency in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania responsible for protecting and preserving the land, air, water, and energy resources through enforcement of the State's environmental laws...
and discharging 3.5 million gallons of raw sewage into Brokenstraw CreekBrokenstraw CreekBrokenstraw Creek is a tributary of the Allegheny River in Warren County, Pennsylvania in the United States.Brokenstraw Creek joins the Allegheny River downstream of the city of Warren.-External links:*...
while he was a sewage plant manager in Youngsville, PennsylvaniaYoungsville, PennsylvaniaYoungsville is a borough in Warren County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,834 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Youngsville is located at ....
. (2000) - PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
State Representative Frank GigliottiFrank GigliottiFrank J. Gigliotti is a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 22nd legislative district. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and attended South Hills High School and the Carnegie Mellon Managerial School....
(D) was convicted and sentenced in 2000 to 46 months incarceration for extortion, mail fraud, and filing a false income tax return. - PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
State Senator F. Joseph LoeperF. Joseph LoeperF. Joseph "Joe" Loeper is an American politician who represented the 26th senatorial district from 1979 through 2000 in the Pennsylvania State Senate...
(R) In 2000 Loeper pled guilty in federal court of falsifying tax-related documents to conceal more than $330,000 in income he received from a private consulting firm while serving in the Senate. He resigned his senate seat on December 31, 2000, and was later released from federal prison at Fort Dix, New JerseyFort Dix, New JerseyJB MDL Dix , better known as Fort Dix, is a United States Army base located approximately south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. Dix is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Reserve Command...
, after serving six months.
- Puerto RicoPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
Speaker of the House Edison Misla AldarondoEdison Misla AldarondoEdison Misla Aldarondo is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the Speaker of the Puerto Rican House of Representatives from 1997 to 2000. He was a founder of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico . He also served as Representative from the 4th District from 1977 to 2002, and...
(R) indicted by the US in January of influence peddling. (2002) See state sex scandals.
- South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
State Treasurer Thomas RavenelThomas RavenelThomas Ravenel is a South Carolina politician and former State Treasurer. He is the son of former South Carolina Congressman Arthur Ravenel, Jr..-Background:...
(R) was convicted on cocaine charges.
- TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
Operation Tennessee WaltzOperation Tennessee WaltzOperation Tennessee Waltz was a sting operation set up by federal and state law enforcement agents, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The operation led to the arrest of seven Tennessee state lawmakers and two men identified as "bagmen" in the...
– An FBI sting operation between 2003 and 2007 in which a number of state and local representatives were arrested including:
- John Ford State Senator (D) Sentenced to 66 months for bribery.
- Kathryn Bowers State Senator (D) Pled guilty to one count of bribery.
- Ward CrutchfieldWard CrutchfieldWard Crutchfield, born December 6, 1928, in Chattanooga, is a Tennessee politician and a former Democratic member of the Tennessee Senate for the 10th district, which encompasses Marion County and part of Hamilton County. He was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1957 to 1959...
State Senator (D) Pled guilty to one count of bribery. - Chris NewtonChris NewtonChristopher Malcolm Newton is a successful road and track racing cyclist. Newton is a multiple world champion and Olympian.-Biography:Newton is an alumnus of the University of Teesside in Middlesbrough...
State Representative (R) Sentenced to one year for bribery.- TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
State Representative Keith Westmoreland (R) was arrested on seven counts of indecent exposure to minors and committed suicide 6 days later. (2002)
- Tennessee
- TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Judge Sharon KellerSharon KellerSharon Faye Keller is the Presiding Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the highest court for criminal matters in the State of Texas.- Education and early career :...
(R) Presiding Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal AppealsTexas Court of Criminal AppealsThe Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the court of last resort for all criminal matters in the State of Texas, United States. The Court, which is based in the Supreme Court Building in Downtown Austin, is composed of a Presiding Judge and eight judges....
. After a US Supreme Court action, on September 25, 2007, lawyers for convicted killer Michael Wayne RichardMichael Wayne RichardMichael Wayne Richard was a rapist and murderer whose execution gained notoriety because of procedural problems....
wanted a stay of execution. Due to computer problems, however, they could not file the request before 5 pm when the clerk's office closed and requested to file late. When asked, Judge Keller stated that the clerk's office must close at 5, and Richard was executed later that night. On February 19, 2009 a motion of impeachment was filed with the state legislature. (2009)
- West VirginiaWest VirginiaWest Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
State Representative Lisa D. Smith (R) pled guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of failure to pay employee taxes. She was sentenced to two years in prison and three years of probation and fined $1,000,000.
- WisconsinWisconsinWisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
State Senator Brian BurkeBrian Burke (Wisconsin politician)Brian Burke, , is a Wisconsin politician and legislator.Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Burke graduated from Marquette University. He served on the Milwaukee Common Council in 1984. From 1989 until 2001, Burke served in the Wisconsin State Senate.Burke now works for the Wisconsin State Public...
(D) was sentenced to six months in jail for using state employees for campaign work.
- Puerto RicoPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
Governor Aníbal Acevedo ViláAníbal Acevedo ViláAníbal Salvador Acevedo Vilá is a Puerto Rican politician and lawyer. He served as the eighth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a Commonwealth of the United States, from 2005 to 2009. He is a Harvard University alumnus and a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico School of Law,...
(D) was indicted by the United States on four charges of corruption and conspiracy. He was acquitted on all counts. (2009)
1990–1999
- AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
Governor H. Guy HuntH. Guy HuntHarold Guy Hunt was an American politician who served as the 49th Governor of Alabama from 1987 to 1993. He was the first Republican to serve as governor of the state since Reconstruction.- Early life :...
(R) was convicted of improperly using campaign money and resigned from office.(1993) He received a full pardon four years later, due to the confession of his accountant, Gene McKenzie (1998).
- ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
Governor John Fife Symington III (R) was convicted on charges of extortion, making false financial statements, and of bank fraud in 1997. The conviction was overturned in 1999 by the Ninth Circuit Court of AppealsUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
. Before retrial, he was pardoned by President Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
- ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
Governor Jim Guy TuckerJim Guy TuckerJames "Jim" Guy Tucker, Jr. is an Arkansas political figure. He served as the 43rd Governor of Arkansas, the 11th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas, Arkansas Attorney General, and U.S. Representative...
. (D), As part of the Whitewater investigation run by Kenneth StarrKenneth StarrKenneth Winston "Ken" Starr is an American lawyer and educational administrator who has also been a federal judge. He is best known for his investigation of figures during the Clinton administration....
, Tucker was convicted of fraud and conspiracy and sentenced to four years probation. (1996)
- CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
an FBI investigation called Shrimpscam or BRISPEC targeted corruption in the California legislature. Five convictions were obtained.
- CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Senator Alan Robbins (D) resigned on November 21, 1991, in advance of pleading guilty to federal racketeering charges in connection with insurance-industry bribes. - CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Senator Joseph B. Montoya (D) was convicted in April 1990 of rackeetering, extortion and money laundering and was sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison. - CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Senator Frank HillFrank HillFrank Robert Hill was a Scottish football player and manager.-Forfar and Aberdeen:Hill was born in Forfar and started his career at Forfar Athletic, joining the club in 1924. He moved to Aberdeen in 1928 and played over 100 Scottish First Division matches...
(R) and his aid were found guilty of corruption and money laundering and sentenced to 46 months in prison. {1994} - CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Board of Equalization member Paul B. Carpenter (D) was found guilty of 11 counts of obstruction of justice and money laundering. (1993) - CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
State Assemblyman Pat NolanPat NolanPatrick J. Nolan is an American lawyer, politician and conservative activist.-Early Political Activism:Nolan began his career as a conservative activist at the age of 14 in the Goldwater for President campaign. Pat was a leader in the Youth for Reagan for Governor in 1966 and in each of Reagan's...
(R) served 29 months for bribery.
- KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
FBI Operation BoptrotOperation BoptrotOperation Boptrot, also referred to as Boptrot, was an investigation by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation into corruption among the Kentucky General Assembly, the Commonwealth's legislature. The operation was highly successful, leading to the conviction of more than a dozen...
was an investigation into bribery and the horse racing industry in which House Majority Leader Don BlandfordDon BlandfordDonald Blandford, a Democrat, was a longtime Kentucky state legislator. He served as Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives until his indictment and conviction for bribery....
(D), was sent to prison for 64 months and the Senate Minority Leader John Rogers (R) was sent to prison for 48 months. Approximately 10% of Kentucky's legislature, both the house and senate, was implicated in this scandal, some taking bribes for as little as $100. (1992)
- MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Speaker of the House Charles FlahertyCharles FlahertyCharles F. Flaherty is a U.S. politician who served as a Democratic member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1967-1996...
(D) plead guilty to felony tax evasion for submitting false receipts regarding his business expenses and to violations of the state conflict of interests law. (1996)
- MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
Secretary of State Judith MoriartyJudith MoriartyJudith K. Moriarty is an American politician from Missouri. She was the first woman to serve as Missouri Secretary of State....
(D) impeached for misconduct involving back-dating of her son's election paperwork to hide a missed filing deadline. - MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
Attorney General William L. WebsterWilliam L. WebsterWilliam L. Webster is a former American politician and convicted felon from Missouri.-Early life and career:William Webster is the son of the late Richard M. Webster, who was a prominent Missouri State Senator and Janet Webster. Webster was born and raised in Carthage, Missouri and was a graduate...
(R) sentenced to two years in prison for conspiracy in a scheme that rewarded lawyers who donated to his campaign with bigger settlements. (1993)
- New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals Sol WachtlerSol WachtlerSolomon Wachtler, born , is a lawyer and politician from New York. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1985 to 1993. Known for the remark, "A marriage license should not be viewed as a license for a husband to forcibly rape his wife with impunity" , Wachtler was a key figure in...
plead guilty to one charge or harassment by threatening to kidnap Joy Silverman's teenage daughter. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison. (1992)
- PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
Attorney General Ernie PreateErnie PreateErnest D. Preate, Jr. is a former Pennsylvania Attorney General. His term ended prematurely when he was indicted on federal charges for mail fraud for which he served a sixteen-month prison sentence in Duluth, Minnesota.-References:...
(R) pleaded guilty to mail fraud. (1995)
- Rhode IslandRhode IslandThe state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
Governor Edward Daniel DiPrete (R) pled guilty to bribery and racketeering charges and served one year in prison. (1998)
- TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
State Representative Tommy BurnettTommy BurnettSam Thomas "Tommy" Burnett was a Tennessee politician who was Majority Leader of the Tennessee House of Representatives and who served two prison sentences for separate federal convictions.-Early life :...
was convicted with 50 others in the FBI's Operation Rocky TopOperation Rocky TopOperation Rocky Top was the Federal Bureau of Investigation's code name for a public corruption investigation into the Tennessee state government in the late 1980s.-Investigation:...
corruption investigation into illegal bingo gamblingGamblingGambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
operations. (1990) See 1983 listing.
- West VirginiaWest VirginiaWest Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
Governor Arch A. Moore Jr (R) guilty of mail fraud, tax fraud, extortion and obstruction of justice, (1990) .
1980–1989
- ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
Governor Evan MechamEvan MechamEvan Mecham was the 17th Governor of Arizona. A decorated veteran of World War II, Mecham earned his living as an automotive dealership owner and occasional newspaper publisher...
(R) was impeached and removed from office on charges of obstruction of justice and misuse of government funds. He was acquitted of all federal charges later in the year. (1988)
- IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Operation GreylordOperation GreylordOperation Greylord was an investigation conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division into corruption in the judiciary of Cook County, Illinois...
was an investigation conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of InvestigationFederal Bureau of InvestigationThe Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
and the IRS Criminal Investigation DivisionIRS Criminal Investigation DivisionInternal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation investigates potential criminal violations of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and related financial crimes in a manner intended to foster confidence in the tax system and compliance with the law...
into corruptionPolitical corruptionPolitical corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
in the judiciaryJudiciaryThe judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
of Cook County, IllinoisCook County, IllinoisCook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
(the ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
region). A total of 92 people were indicted, including 17 judgeJudgeA judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s, 48 lawyers, ten deputy sheriffSheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
s, eight policePoliceThe police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
men, eight court officials, and a memberJames DeLeoJames A. DeLeo was a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 10th district since 1992, and is an Assistant Majority Leader. Earlier he served in the Illinois House of Representatives. He announced his retirement from the State Senate in 2010, and left office in August 2010....
of the Illinois Legislature.
- MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
State Representative Donald F. Sproul (R) was sentenced to 10 days in prison for ballot tampering. (1988)
- MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
State Senator Clarence Mitchell III (D-MD), sentenced to 2½ years for bribery and obstruction in regards to the Wedtech scandalWedtech scandalThe Wedtech Scandal was the name of an American political scandal that came to light in the late 1980s involving the Wedtech Corporation.The company had been founded in Bronx County, New York by a Puerto Rican immigrant named John Mariotta, and originally manufactured baby carriages...
(1988) - MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
State Senator Michael Mitchell (D-MD), (brother of Clarence) sentenced to 2½ years for bribery and obstruction in regards to the Wedtech scandalWedtech scandalThe Wedtech Scandal was the name of an American political scandal that came to light in the late 1980s involving the Wedtech Corporation.The company had been founded in Bronx County, New York by a Puerto Rican immigrant named John Mariotta, and originally manufactured baby carriages...
(1988)
- MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Transportation Secretary Barry LockeBarry LockeBarry Myles Locke was an American political aide who served as Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation from 1979 until he was indicted for corruption in 1981....
was convicted of conspiring to take payoffs. (1982) - MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
: An investigation by the United States AttorneyUnited States AttorneyUnited States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
's office into the administration of Boston Mayor Kevin White results in the indictments of:
- William P. McNeill, Boston's former budget director (mail fraud)
- George Collatos, former Boston Redevelopment Authority official (perjury)
- Theodore V. Anzalone, former Boston city assessor and chief fund-raiser for White (extortion and evading a US currency reporting law)
- Robert L. Toomey Sr., former aide to the mayor (perjury, fraud, and obstruction of justice)
- Anthony Pepicelli, former director of Department of Inspectional Services (mail fraud and receiving bribes)
- MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
gubernatorial candidate Jon GrunsethJon GrunsethJon Grunseth was a Minnesota businessman and politician and the 1990 Independent-Republican nominee for Governor of Minnesota. Grunseth won his party's endorsement and won its primary election, but was forced to quit the race nine days before election day in the wake of a scandal.Grunseth, the...
(R-MN) dropped out of the race two weeks before the election when he admitted to a skinny dipping party with his 13 year old daughter and three of her friends. (1989)
- OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
Donald E. "Buz" Lukens Convicted Contributing to the Delinquincy of a Minor and sentenced to 30 days in jail and fined $500. See Sex scandals 1990 and Legislative scandals 1982
- PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
State Treasurer R. Budd Dwyer (R) was found guilty of one count of bribery and then committed suicide on television before he was to be sentenced. (1987)
- TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
State Representative Tommy BurnettTommy BurnettSam Thomas "Tommy" Burnett was a Tennessee politician who was Majority Leader of the Tennessee House of Representatives and who served two prison sentences for separate federal convictions.-Early life :...
(D) was convicted in federal court for willfully failing to file federal income taxIncome taxAn income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
returns, and served ten months in prison. While in prison, he was re-elected to the Tennessee House with 60 percent of the vote. (1983) See 1990 listing.
1970–1979
- ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
State Senator Guy H. Jones (D) was convicted of tax evasion in 1973, he was expelled from the Senate in 1974.
- CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Lt. Governor Edwin ReineckeEdwin ReineckeEdwin Reinecke, who went by Ed Reinecke, is a retired California politician. He was born in Medford, Oregon, and served in the Navy during World War II. He graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1942 and then attended the California Institute of Technology, where he completed a degree in...
(R) was indicted and convicted on one count of perjury and sentenced to 18 months in prison as part of the Watergate investigation. The sentence was later overturned. (1975)
- IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Governor Otto Kerner, Jr.Otto Kerner, Jr.Otto Kerner, Jr. was the 33rd Governor of Illinois from 1961 to 1968. He is best known for chairing the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders and for accepting bribes....
(D) had retired as Governor and was a sitting judge in the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh District when he was charged with 17 counts of bribery, conspiracy and perjury for his actions as Governor. He was found guilty and served three years in prison. (1974) - IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Secretary of State Paul PowellPaul Powell (politician)Paul Taylor Powell served as Illinois Secretary of State from 1965 until his death in 1970.-Political career:...
(D-IL) after his death in 1970, shoe boxes containing $800,000 in cash in his hotel room. He was never charged. (1970) - IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
: Maywood, IllinoisMaywood, IllinoisMaywood is a village in Proviso Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It was founded on April 6, 1869 and organized October 22, 1881. The population was 26,987 at the 2000 census.-Overview:...
Village Manager Paul H. BoucherPaul H. BoucherPaul H. Boucher was an American City manager who served as Town Manager of Saugus, Massachusetts and Village Manager of Ellenville, New York and Maywood, Illinois.-Saugus Town Manager:...
was arrested and charged with theft by deception, improper use of license plates, and failure to register a vehicle in Illinois. He later pleaded guilty to theft of property under $150. (1970)
- LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
Attorney General Jack P. F. Gremillion (D-LA) was sentenced to three years in prison for perjury concerning his cover up of dealings with a failed savings and loan. (1972)
- MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Secretary of Elder Affairs Stephen GuptillStephen GuptillStephen Guptill is a former American journalist and elderly advocate who resigned as Massachusetts Secretary of Elder Affairs after less then one week on the job when it was revealed that he falsely claimed to have had graduated from two foreign colleges....
resigned when it was revealed that he falsely claimed to have earned two college degrees. (1979)
- OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
Governor David HallDavid Hall (Oklahoma governor)David Hall , U.S. Democratic Party politician, He served as the 20th Governor of Oklahoma from January 11, 1971 to January 13, 1975, after serving as Tulsa County District Attorney, and was previously a law professor at the University of Tulsa.- Early life :David Hall was born in Oklahoma City, and...
(D) Three days after leaving office in January 1975, Hall was indicted for conspiracy involving Hall and Secretary of StateSecretary of StateSecretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
John Rogers willfully steering State of Oklahoma employee retirement funds to investment funds controlled by Dallas, TexasDallas, TexasDallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, businessman W. W. "Doc" Taylor. Upon his conviction two months later for briberyBriberyBribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
and extortionExtortionExtortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
, he became the first Oklahoma Governor to be convicted of criminal acts committed during his tenure.
- PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
State Senator Frank MazzeiFrank MazzeiFrank Mazzei is a former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate. One of his big accomplishments during his political career was creation of the Pennsylvania Lottery...
(D) Was found guilty of extortion in 1975. He entered federal prison in December 1975.
- TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Sharpstown scandalSharpstown scandalThe Sharpstown scandal was a stock fraud scandal in the state of Texas in 1971 and 1972 involving the highest levels of the state government. The name came from the involvement of the Sharpstown area of Houston.-Background:...
(1971–1972)
- West VirginiaWest VirginiaWest Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
Governor William W. Barron (D) 1961–65, was found guilty of jury tampering and sentenced to 5 years in prison. (1971)*
1940–1969
- ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
Attorney General Bruce BennettBruce Bennett (Arkansas politician)Bruce Bennett was a Democratic politician from El Dorado, Arkansas, who served as his state's attorney general from 1957–1960 and from 1963–1966...
(D-AR) charged with 28 counts of wire fraud and securities violations relating to a failed savings and loan. His poor health prevented the case from going to trial. (1969) - IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Auditor of Public Accounts Orville HodgeOrville HodgeOrville Enoch Hodge was the Auditor of Public Accounts of the state of Illinois from 1952 to 1956...
(R) pleaded guilty to bank fraud, embezzlement and forgery and was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 1956. - MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
: 1964 special grand jury investigation of corruption indicted:
- Speaker of the House John F. ThompsonJohn F. ThompsonJohn Forbes "Iron Duke" Thompson was a U.S. politician who was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1949-1964. He served as the House Majority Leader from 1955–1957 and Speaker of the House from 1958 to 1964...
(D) was indicted on 58 counts of conspiracy and requesting and accepting bribes. He died before the case was resolved. (1964) - Commissioner of Administration and Finance Charles GibbonsCharles GibbonsCharles Gibbons was a U.S. politician who served as the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1952 to 1955 as a Republican. As of 2011 he is the last Republican to serve as Massachusetts Speaker of the House. He was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1956, but...
(R) was indicted on 23 counts of accepting bribes. (1964)
- TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
The Veterans' Land Board scandal in (1954)
1900–1939
- IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
Governor Warren McCray (R) was forced to resign after conviction for mail fraud. (1924) - IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
Governor Edward L. Jackson (R) was accused of taking bribes and trying to bribe a previous governor on behalf of the Ku Klux Klan. (1928)
- KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
Lt. Governor Henry DenhardtHenry DenhardtHenry H. Denhardt was a Democratic American politician, who served as the Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky from 1923 to 1927, under Governor William J. Fields....
(D) accused of murder in the death of his girlfriend. His trial ended in a hung jury.
- LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
Governor Huey LongHuey LongHuey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
(D) controversial and outspoken, Long was widely alleged to have used extensive bribery to prevent his impeachment. (1929) - LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
Governor Richard W. LecheRichard W. LecheRichard Webster Leche was the 44th Governor of Louisiana from 1936 until 1939. Leche was the first governor of Louisiana sentenced to prison.- Early life :...
(D) 1936–39, resigned in 1939, he was convicted in 1940 for mail fraud, corruption, and bribery. Sentenced to 10 years, pardoned by Harry S. TrumanHarry S. TrumanHarry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
in 1953.
- MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Speaker of the House John N. ColeJohn N. ColeJohn N. Cole was a U.S. politician who served as the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1906 to 1908.He resigned his position after being indicted on 123 separate counts of violating a law which prohibited Government officers from asking for railroad passes or tickets at...
was indicted on 123 separate counts of violating a law which prohibited government officers from asking for railroad passes or tickets at reduced rates for themselves or others. (1908)
- New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
Governor Harold G. HoffmanHarold G. HoffmanHarold Giles Hoffman was an American politician, a Republican who served as the 41st Governor of New Jersey, from 1935 to 1938. He also served two terms representing in the United States House of Representatives, from 1927 to 1931.-Early life:Hoffman was born in South Amboy, New Jersey to Frank...
(R) admitted, in a letter after his death, to embezzling up to $50,000 a month while Commissioner of Motor Vehicles in the 1930s.
- New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Governor William SulzerWilliam SulzerWilliam Sulzer was an American lawyer and politician, nicknamed Plain Bill Sulzer. He was the 39th Governor of New York and a long-serving congressman from the same state. He was the first and so far only New York Governor to be impeached...
(D) was impeached and removed for campaign finance violations. (1913)
- North DakotaNorth DakotaNorth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
Governor William LangerWilliam LangerWilliam "Wild Bill" Langer was a prominent US politician from North Dakota. Langer is one of the most colorful characters in North Dakota history, most famously bouncing back from a scandal that forced him out of the governor's office and into prison. He served as the 17th and 21st Governor of...
(R) was removed from office in 1934 for alleged racketeering and barricaded himself in the Governor's mansion rather than leave. He was later acquitted and re-elected as Governor in 1936. - North DakotaNorth DakotaNorth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
Governor Thomas H. MoodieThomas H. MoodieThomas H. Moodie was born in Winona, Minnesota. He served a brief term of less than a month as the 19th Governor of North Dakota in 1935...
(D) impeached and removed from office for not meeting the constitutional requirements for office.(1935)
- OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
Governor Henry S. JohnstonHenry S. JohnstonHenry Simpson Johnston was an American lawyer and politician who served as a delegate to the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention, the first President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate, and the seventh Governor of Oklahoma...
(D), impeached twice, was convicted the second time and removed for "general incompetence" (1928–1929). - OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
Governor John C. WaltonJohn C. WaltonJohn Calloway “Jack” Walton was an American politician and the fifth Governor of Oklahoma. Walton would serve the shortest term of any Governor of Oklahoma, being the first Governor in the state’s history to be removed from office.-Early life:John Calloway Walton was born on March 6, 1881, in...
(D) – Due to growing influence and rioting of the Ku Klux Klan, Walton declared martial law and suspended the writ of habeas corpus without the authority to do so. He was impeached and removed. (1923) - OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
Governor James B. A. RobertsonJames B. A. RobertsonJames Brooks Ayers Robertson , sometimes called J. B. A. Robertson, was an American lawyer who served as the fourth governor of Oklahoma.-Early life:...
(D) involved in political scandals with administering federal funds. (1920)
- TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
Governor Henry Hollis HortonHenry Hollis HortonHenry Hollis Horton was Governor of Tennessee from 1927 to 1933.-Biography:Horton was born in Alabama into the family of a Baptist minister. He taught school for six years before being admitted to the bar in 1894. He served several terms in the legislature, and was elected speaker of the...
(D) was impeached and acquitted. (1931)
- TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Governor James Edward Ferguson (D), also known as "PA", was impeached and removed from office for financial misconduct (1917) - TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Governor Miriam A. FergusonMiriam A. FergusonMiriam Amanda Wallace "Ma" Ferguson was the first female Governor of Texas in 1925. She held office until 1927, later winning another term in 1933 and serving until 1935.-Early life:...
(D), also known as "MA", was the first woman elected Governor of a state in the U.S. and wife of the removed ex-governor. She was implicated in the same financial improprieties that had brought down "Pa" causing her to lose the Democratic primary in 1926.
1789–1899
- ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
Governor Powell ClaytonPowell ClaytonPowell Clayton was an engineer, a Union Army general in the American Civil War, the first Reconstruction Governor of the State of Arkansas, and Ambassador to Mexico during the administrations of William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.-Early life:Clayton was born in Bethel, Pennsylvania, to John...
(R) was investigated for corruption but acguitted. (1868–1871)
- CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
State Senator Thomas D. HarpThomas D. HarpThomas David Harp was a California State senator representing Merced, Tuolumne and Stanislaus counties in the late 19th Century.-Biography:...
(D) was indicted for malfeasence.(1891)
- FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
Governor Harrison Reed (R) originally appointed to a position in Florida after the Civil War, he was elected and then subjected to three separate impeachment inquiries. (1868–1872)
- GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
the Yazoo land scandalYazoo land scandalThe Yazoo land scandal, Yazoo fraud, Yazoo land fraud, or Yazoo land controversy was a massive fraud perpetrated from 1794 to 1803 by several Georgia governors and the state legislature. They sold large tracts of land in what is now the state of Mississippi to political insiders at very low prices...
consisted of four repeated conspiracies to sell 40 million acres (161,874.4 km²) in Georgia to insider land speculators. It involved Georgia Governors George MathewsGeorge Mathews (Georgia)George Mathews was an United States planter, merchant, and pioneer from Virginia and western Georgia. He served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War then settled in Georgia. He served as the 20th Governor of Georgia, one term in the U.S...
and Jared IrwinJared IrwinJared Irwin served twice as elected Governor of Georgia and . He first was elected to office as a reformer based on public outrage about the Yazoo land scandal. He signed a bill that nullified the Yazoo Act, which had authorized the land sales...
as well as Virginia patriot Patrick HenryPatrick HenryPatrick Henry was an orator and politician who led the movement for independence in Virginia in the 1770s. A Founding Father, he served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia from 1776 to 1779 and subsequently, from 1784 to 1786...
. (1790–1803)
- KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
Governor Charles L. RobinsonCharles L. RobinsonCharles Lawrence Robinson was the first Governor of Kansas. He was also the first governor of a US state to be impeached, although he was not convicted or removed from office. To date he is the only governor of Kansas to be impeached...
(R) was impeached, but acquitted of a state bond scheme. (1862)
- KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
State Treasurer James "Honest Dick" Tate (D-KY) ran off with the entire state treasury (about $247,000) left his wife and children and disappeared. He was impeached in absentia and the word "Tatism" for crook, is still used today.(1888)
- MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
Governor John A. QuitmanJohn A. QuitmanJohn Anthony Quitman was an American politician and soldier. He served as Governor of Mississippi from 1835 to 1836 as a Whig and again from 1850 to 1851 as a Democrat and one of the leading Fire-Eaters.-Early life:John A. Quitman studied Classics at Hartwick Seminary, graduating in 1816...
(D) resigned in 1851 after indictment for violation of the Neutrality Act in connection with his support for a Cuban insurrection against Spain. He was acquitted of all charges.
- NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
Governor David C. Butler (R) impeached and removed from office for misuse of funds. He was later reinstated and ran was elected to the Nebraska Senate. (1871)
- North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
Governor William Woods HoldenWilliam Woods HoldenWilliam Woods Holden was the 38th and 40th Governor of North Carolina in 1865 and from 1868 to 1871. He was the leader of the state's Republican Party during Reconstruction. Holden was the second governor in American history to be impeached, and the first to be removed from office...
(R) was impeached for the actions of the North Carolina militia in trying to quell the lynching activities of the Ku Klux Klan in what became the Kirk-Holden warKirk-Holden warThe Kirk-Holden War was a struggle against the Ku Klux Klan in the state of North Carolina in 1870. The Klan was preventing recently freed slaves from exercising their right to vote by intimidating them. Governor William W...
. He was the first state governor ever removed from office. (1870)
- OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
Governor La Fayette GroverLa Fayette GroverLa Fayette Grover was a Democratic politician and lawyer from the US state of Oregon. He was the fourth Governor of Oregon, serving from 1870 to 1877...
(D) (later U.S. Senator) was implicated, but eventually exonerated, on vote-rigging charges to give Oregon's electoral votes in the 1876 presidential election to Samuel Tilden (D).
- WisconsinWisconsinWisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
Governor William Augustus Barstow (D) Even though he vowed to never "give up his office alive" Barstow resigned in 1856 after investigations of election fraud gave the office to Coles BashfordColes BashfordColes Bashford was an American lawyer and politician who became the fifth Governor of Wisconsin. His one term as governor ended in a bribery scandal that forced him to leave the state, but he was later instrumental in the government of the newly formed Arizona Territory.-Early life and...
.
See also
- List of federal political scandals in the United States
- List of American federal politicians convicted of crimes
- List of American state and local politicians convicted of crimes
- List of federal political sex scandals in the United States
- List of state and local political sex scandals in the United States
- List of California public officials charged with crimes
- List of United States Senators expelled or censured
- List of United States Representatives expelled, censured, or reprimanded