GOP presidential candidate and businessman Herman Cain is said to be reconsidering his decision to keep campaigning following the latest accusation of misconduct made against him. He was accused by Ginger White, an Atlanta businesswoman, of carrying on a 13-year extramarital affair with her. It’s an allegation he denies, though she offered phone records as proof of their relationship. This latest claim follows a series of harassment allegations made by several women against the former Godfather’s Pizza CEO, all stemming from his time as president of the National Restaurant Association.
As the House prepares for a possible investigation of allegations concerning President Clinton, it’s worth taking a look back at how Congress has dealt with the frequent charges of misconduct by its own members. Here are 21 case studies. In most, Congress took little or no official action, leaving the fate of the accused to the voters. This history begins in 1974, but not because episodes of impropriety only go back a quarter-century. In the old days, they simply weren’t reported.
