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America's Top 30 Political Sex Scandals

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Jul. 25 2013, Published 6:43 a.m. ET

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Will Anthony Weiner's bid for New York mayor survive? Here's a guide to 30 of the more scandalous political embarrassments to hit the Beltway and beyond.

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Herman Cain Presidential candidate

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Herman Cain Presidential candidate

The 2012 Republican presidential candidate was accused of sexual harassment by several women including Sharon Bialek, Karen Kraushaar and having a 13 year affair with Ginger White. These accusations eventually caused him to suspend his run for the presidential nomination.

Anthony Weiner

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Despite his denials, it was proven that Weiner had mistakenly sent sexual messages and photos via social-networking sites. After 10 days of robust rebuttals, Weiner confessed to sending the crotch photo and to having online relationships with six women. He later resigned under pressure from Congress.

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John Edwards

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Vice presidential candidate

His affair with a former campaign videographer was exposed by the National Enquirer. After months of denying the magazine's allegations, the onetime vice-presidential candidate confessed to having an affair with Rielle Hunter. However, he still vehemently denied fathering Hunter's child, even offering to take a paternity test.

While no test ever took place, at least publicly, amid an Edwards'

staffer's insistence that he was the father, the disgraced politician eventually admitted to having fathered the child

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Ted Kennedy

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Ted Kennedy

U.S. Senator; presidential candidate

The Massachusetts Democrat was a major national political figure despite the Chappaquiddick incident, where his late brother¹s 29-year-old ex-staffer, Mary Jo Kopechne, drowned when a car Kennedy was driving went off a bridge. Kennedy pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident; he received a two month suspended sentence.

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Thomas Jefferson

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Thomas Jefferson

The American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States was accused of fathering the children of his slave Sally Hemings.

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Wilbur Mills

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Wilbur Mills

U.S. Congressman; presidential candidate The Arkansas Democrat was the powerful House Ways & Means Committee Chairman when he was caught, intoxicated, driving into the Tidal Basin with stripper Fanne Fox.

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Walter Jenkins

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Walter Jenkins

White House Staff

Lyndon Johnson¹s longtime aide was forced to resign after being caught having sex with another man in a YMCA bathroom just before the 1964 presidential election.

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Bob Livingston

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Bob Livingston

U.S. Congressman

The Louisiana Republican was set to become Speaker of the House when reports of an extramarital affair forced him to resign from Congress.

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Brock Adams

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Brock Adams

U.S. Senator

The Washington Democrat didn't seek re-election to the Senate after eight women alleged misconduct that included harassment, sexual assault and rape.

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Larry Craig

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Larry Craig

U.S. Senator

The Republican Senator from Idaho continues to deny he is gay, but decided not to seek re-election after pleading guilty to lewd conduct in an airport men¹s room.

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John Ensign

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John Ensign

U.S. Senator

In 2009, Ensign admitted to having an affair with a former campaign staffer, Cindy Hampton, for close to year.

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David Petraeus

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David Petraeus

Resigned as the Director of the CIA in November 2012 after an FBI investigation uncovered that he had an extramarital affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell.

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David Vitter

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David Vitter

U.S. Senator

The Louisiana Republican has until 2010 to rehabilitate himself with voters after being listed as a client of the D.C. Madam in Washington and Louisiana. Vitter issued a public apology for his "very serious sin" and managed to retain his seat in the Senate.

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James E. McGreevey

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James E. McGreevey

Governor of New Jersey

The married Governor resigned after admitting to an affair with another man ­ his Homeland Security advisor.

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Barney Frank

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Barney Frank

U.S. Congressman

The Massachusetts Democrat was reprimanded by the House after his partner

-- who he previously had paid for sex -- ran an escort service out of the Congressman¹s home.

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Rudy Giuliani

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Rudy Giuliani

Mayor of New York, NY; presidential Candidate Details of an extramarital affair with his current wife helped derail his

2008 campaign for the GOP presidential Nomination.

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Jerry Springer

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Jerry Springer

Mayor of Cincinnati, OH

Before he was a television celebrity, Springer was a Mayor whose campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Ohio was derailed by reports that he paid for a hooker using a personal check.

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Gavin Newsom

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Gavin Newsom

Mayor of San Francisco, CA

The Mayor of San Francisco had an affair with the wife of his friend and campaign Manager

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Bill Clinton

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Bill Clinton

President of the United States

The 42nd President was impeached following a sexual relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. As Governor of Arkansas, he had alleged relationships with Gennifer Flowers and Paula Jones.

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Newt Gingrich

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Newt Gingrich

Speaker of the House

Resigned from the House after admitting in 1998 to having had an affair with his intern while he was married to his second wife, and at the same time he was leading the impeachment of Bill Clinton for perjury regarding an affair with his intern Monica Lewinsky.

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Mark Sanford

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Mark Sanford

Governor of South Carolina

Then South Carolina governor, Sanford disappeared from his home on June 18, 2009 and went AWOL for a week, apparently to hike the Appalachian Trail. Sanford later held a press conference to explain himself: he'd gone to visit an Argentinian woman with whom he'd been having an affair. He resigned.

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John Edwards

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John Edwards

Vice presidential candidate

His affair with a former campaign videographer was exposed by the National Enquirer. After months of denying the magazine's allegations, the onetime vice-presidential candidate confessed to having an affair with Rielle Hunter. However, he still vehemently denied fathering Hunter's child, even offering to take a paternity test.

While no test ever took place, at least publicly, amid an Edwards'

staffer's insistence that he was the father, the disgraced politician eventually admitted to having fathered the child.

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Eliot Spitzer

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Eliot Spitzer

Governor of New York

The Democratic Governor is allegedly Client #9 in a scandal involving high priced call girls and a prostitution ring. He resigned after just 14 months in Office.

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Chris Lee

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Chris Lee

U.S. Congressman

The New York republican resigned hours after an online news report emerged showing that the married Congressman had sent a shirtless picture of himself flexing his muscles to a woman via Craigslist, along with a series of flirtatious emails. He relied on his congressional email for all communication.

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Gary Hart

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Gary Hart

U.S. Senator; presidential candidate

The Colorado Senator was a major candidate for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination, but his campaign ended after being photographed cavorting with Donna Rice on a boat called Monkey Business.

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Mel Reynolds

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Mel Reynolds

U.S. Congressman

The Illinois Democrat resigned during his first term after having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old campaign worker. He later went to prison.

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Neil Goldschmidt

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Neil Goldschmidt

Governor of Oregon

As Mayor of Portland, Goldschmidt had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old babysitter.

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Eric Massa

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Eric Massa

U.S. Congressman

Resigned to avoid an ethics investigation into his admitted groping and tickling of multiple male staffers. He later stated on Fox News that, "not only did I grope a staffer, I tickled him until he couldn't breathe!"

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John F. Kennedy

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Source: Getty

President John F. Kennedy, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy & Marilyn Monroe America may never know the truth about her relationships with some of the nation¹s most powerful political leaders, allegedly including President John F. Kennedy and his brother, Attorney General/Senator Robert F.

Kennedy.

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Gary Condit

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Gary Condit

U.S. Congressman

The California Democrat¹s former Intern, Chandra Levy, was found dead in a Washington, D.C. park, and questions about their relationship ­ and his poor handling of the media frenzy that followed ­ led to Condit¹s defeat.

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