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Arnold, in the early years of the Revolution, was an effective military leader on the colonists’ side. Yet, driven by money, he conspired to turn over to the British the army installation at West Point. His name became synonymous with “traitor.”

The press commented in the early 1800s that Jefferson had had an affair and borne children with his slave, Sally Hemings. Jefferson denied the accusations, but now DNA evidence makes the connection probable.

Margaret Eaton, wife of President Jackson’s secretary of war, was rumored to have had a scandalous past. Jackson defended her honor and his enemies attacked, threatening his presidency.

Alexander Shepherd pushed the Board of Public Works to great accomplishments in the 1870s, but he was later run out of town for bankrupting city government.

In 1875 it was revealed that liquor taxes were being evaded by distillers and the officials they bribed. There were 110 convictions. President Grant secured the acquittal of his private secretary.

The oil fields at Teapot Dome, Wyoming, had been set aside as a reserve for the US Navy. In the 1920s, oil interests bribed government officials to lease the land to them, without competitive bidding.

In 1972, President Nixon’s re-election workers broke into the Democrats’ Watergate offices planning to gather campaign information. Their arrest, and the effort to contain the scandal, forced Nixon to resign in 1974.

Mills, chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, was caught frolicking with his friend, the stripper Fanne Fox. He was forced to resign in 1974.

In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan’s administration carried out plans to secretly sell US weapons to Iran and use the proceeds to support Nicaraguan rebels. The investigation revealed deception and corruption.

Clinton’s denial of sexual relations with the White House intern led to charges of perjury, obstruction of justice, and an investigation by the House of Representatives.