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A decade of congressional sex scandals

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Although political scandals date to the country’s earliest days, attention to sex-related wrongdoing in Congress began in earnest in the 1970s. Here are some examples from the last 10 years:

2011

Rep. Christopher Lee (R-N.Y.), who is married, resigned hours after news reports that he sent a shirtless photo of himself to a woman through Craigslist.

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Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) resigned after complications from revelations of an extramarital affair with a former aide, who happened to be married to another of his former aides.

2010

Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) resigned after an extramarital affair with a staffer, with whom he had recorded a video advocating abstinence.

Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) resigned during an ethics investigation into charges he had groped and tickled a male staff member.

2008

Rep. Vito Fossella (R-N.Y.) did not run for reelection after a conviction for drunk driving, followed by his admission of an extramarital affair in which he fathered a child.

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Rep. Charles “Chip” Pickering (R-Miss.) filed for divorce, and his wife later charged he had an affair with another woman. He did not run for reelection.

Freshman Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-Fla.) lost his reelection race after revelations that he had put a former mistress on his staff. Mahoney had replaced GOP Rep. Mark Foley, who was forced to resign in 2006.

2007

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) was caught up in a Washington escort service scandal, acknowledged his misbehavior and went on to win reelection in 2010.

Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in an airport men’s room and was admonished by the Senate Ethics Committee, but held on to finish his term, which ran through 2008.

2006

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Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) resigned after revelations that he had sent explicit sexual messages to teenage boys who worked as congressional pages.

2002

Rep. Gary Condit (D-Calif.) lost his reelection primary race after revelations of an affair with intern Chandra Levy, who disappeared in 2001 and was found slain a year later. A Salvadoran immigrant was convicted in her death.

Source: Times research

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