We usually think of sex and rock stars, but lately it seems as though politicians are the culprits in most sex scandals in the news. Many powerful politicians, with careers and reputations to lose, have been caught carrying on with the wrong person. From a French presidential hopeful and a New York City chambermaid, to a rising star of Congress and his cell phone, these famous individuals have gotten themselves in trouble by being elite and indiscreet.
Rudolph Giuliani resigned from his law firm, where he had taken a leave of absence to serve as President Trump’s personal lawyer, due to tensions over public comments. The former NYC mayor defended payments made by Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen to a pornographic actress.
Arnold Schwarzenegger first gained fame as a bodybuilder, using that as a launching point to become a huge Hollywood star and, later, the governor of California.
Catherine II was empress of Russia, and led her country into the political and cultural life of Europe, carrying on the work begun by Peter the Great.
Queen Elizabeth approved of at least one of Princess Margaret’s affairs, claims a new documentary, ‘Elizabeth: Our Queen.’ A friend of the princess says the Queen told her that her sister’s 8-year relationship with landscape gardener Roddy Llewellyn had been good for her.
Silvio Berlusconi appeared at a political rally a week before parliamentary elections to support his party. Pundits say the former Italian president, who is still popular among fans despite a series of sex scandals and legal cases, may be trying to make a political comeback.
Jesse Jackson is an American civil rights leader, Baptist minister and politician who twice ran for U.S. president.
The 22nd and 24th president, Grover Cleveland is the only POTUS to serve two nonconsecutive terms, as well as the first to be married in the White House.
Former governor Eliot Spitzer had a promising career until his frequent use of prostitutes was discovered, forcing him to resign.
Bill Clinton was the 42nd president of the United States, and the second to be impeached. He oversaw the country's longest peacetime economic expansion.
U.S. Army General David Petraeus became director of the CIA in 2011. He resigned from the post in 2012, after his extramarital affair with Paula Broadwell was publicized.
King Edward VII took over the British throne after the death of Queen Victoria. He was a popular ruler who strengthened his country prior to World War I.
Clarence Thomas is the second African-American justice to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. He was controversially appointed in 1991 and leans conservative.
Strom Thurmond was a U.S. senator known for his pro-segregation policies and long-running tenure in Congress. It was later revealed he had a biracial daughter.
Dominique Strauss-Kahn is the former IMF chief who faced sexual assault charges that were dismissed.
John Edwards served in the U.S. Senate from 1998 to 2004. He was the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in the 2004 election, and twice ran for president.
Gary Condit served in the U.S. House of Representatives and is considered a conservative Democrat. He was inconclusively linked to the disappearance of federal intern Chandra Levy.
At a summit of the 53-country Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II officially backed her son Prince Charles to be her successor as the king of Britain and its former colonies for the first time. The role is not hereditary, so the Commonwealth will have to approve the move first.
Former U.S. Representative Eric Massa served just over a year in the House before he was accused of sexual misconduct with a male staffer.
Larry Craig was a U.S. senator from Idaho who was involved in drug and sex scandals, announced his resignation, then quickly recanted.
Florida Republican Congressman Mark Foley was forced to resign in 2006 amidst allegations that he had sent sexually explicit messages to former Congressional pages.
Jeanne Bécu, Countess Du Barry, mistress to French King Louis XV, asserted her influence on the court throughout his reign and was later executed for treason.
Jesse Jackson Jr. is the son of the famous Reverend Jesse Jackson. He served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2012.
