After admitting to have a number of online relations with women on the Internet, Democratic U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner has become the latest American politician noosed in a sex-related scandal. A retrospection into the history of sex scandals in U.S. politics shows that cases of infidelity among political leaders is nothing new. But yes, they do have significance, because 'when politicians fall in love, it is hardly a private affair'.
Here is a look at the top 10 sex scandals in U.S. politics over the last generation.
Republican Representative Chris Lee resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives after it was revealed he sent flirtatious e-mails.Gawker.comFormer Republican Congressman from Florida, Mark Foley (C) attends his father's funneral with unidentified family members in West Palm Beach, Florida, November 18, 2006. Foley was forced to resign last September following allegations that he sent inappropriate emails to house pages. REUTERS/Marc SerotaU.S. Senator John Ensign (R-NV) speaks during a news conference, about an affair he had with a former staffer, in Las Vegas, Nevada June 16, 2009. Ensign, who had been seen as a potential 2012 presidential contender, has told colleagues he had an extramarital affair, a party aide said on Wednesday. REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Sam MorrSouth Carolina Governor Mark Sanford addresses the media at a news conference at the State House in Columbia, South Carolina September 10, 2009. REUTERS/Joshua DrakeU.S. Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho), (R), and his wife, Suzanne Thompson, (L), before the start of the presentation ceremony of the 2007 National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medals from U.S. President George W. Bush in the East Room of the White House in Washington, November 15, 2007. REUTERS/Larry DowningFormer U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful and former U.S. Senator John Edwards makes a brief statement to the press outside of the U.S. District Court after pleading not guilty to six federal criminal felony charges in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, June 3, 2011.REUTERS/Davis TurnerUS Representative David Vitter of Louisiana speaks at the 2010 Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana April 10, 2010. As many as 3,000 party activists are to attend the four-day Southern Republican Leadership Conference, the most prominent gathering of Republicans outside of their presidential nominating conventions.
REUTERS/Sean GardnerFormer Alaska governor Sarah Palin looks back at a reporter during her visit to Yankee Seafood Cooperative in Seabrook, New Hampshire June 2, 2011. REUTERS/Brian SnyderCNN canceled the prime time television program of former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer REUTERSFormer U.S. President Bill Clinton attends the 2011 Fiscal Summit on Solutions for America's future in Washington, May 25, 2011.REUTERS/Jason Reed
