Members of Congress Charged With a Crime, 1798 - 2008
By Jonathan J. Cooper
07/29/2008
After the indictment of Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, on July 29, 2008, TWI got to wondering how many members of Congress came before him. The answer: at least 100. Stevens shares the list with characters like Sen. John Smith, D-Ohio, who, around 1807, was indicted for treason as a co-conspirator with Aaron Burr against the United States. He was eventually acquitted. Then there's Rep. Mel Reynolds, D-Ill., who was accused in 1995 of having sex with an underage campaign worker. He was later convicted and sentenced to five years in prison. Enjoy the whole list for yourself below.
Members of congress charged with a crime:
| MEMBER / DATE CHARGED | CHARGE / FINAL ACTION |
| Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) 2008 | False statements on Senate disclosure forms * Pending |
| Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) 2008 | Extortion, wire fraud, money laundering * Pending |
| Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) 2007 | Disorderly conduct * Pleaded guilty, requesting withdrawal of plea from state appeals court |
| William Jefferson (D-La) 2007 | Racketeering, soliciting bribes, money laundering * Pending |
| Bob Ney (R-Ohio) 2007 | Trading political favors for gifts * Convicted, sentenced to 2.5 years in prison |
| Tom DeLay (R-Texas) 2005 | Money laundering, conspiracy * Pending |
| William Janklow (R-S.D.) 2003 | Manslaughter after car struck motorcyclist. * Convicted, sentenced to 100 days in jail |
| James Traficant (R-Ohio) 2001 | Tax evasion, bribery, racketeering, conspiracy and obstruction of justice * Convicted, sentenced to eight years in prison |
| Jay Kim (R-Calif.) 1997 | Accepting illegal corporate campaign contributions. * Plead guilty and sentenced to two months of house arrest, one year probation and a $5,000 fine. |
| Mel Reynolds (D-Ill.) 1995 | State charges: Sexual misconduct, child pornography and obstruction of justice * Convicted in August 1995 and sentenced to 5 years in prison Federal charges: Bank fraud and lying to the Federal Election commission * Convicted in April 1997 and sentenced to 6.5 years in prison. Sentence commuted by President Bill Clinton. |
| Walter R. Tucker III (D-Calif.) 1995 | Corruption for allegedly extorting bribes and cheating on taxes while mayor of Compton, Calif. * Convicted, sentenced to 27 months in prison. |
| Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.) 1994 | Corruption * Plead guilty to a lesser charge of mail fraud, 1996. Pardoned by President Bill Clinton, 2000. |
| Carroll Hubbard (D-Ky) 1994 | Obstruction of justice * Convicted |
| Larry Smith (D-Fla) 1993 | Income tax and campaign reporting violations * Convicted, sentenced to 3 months in jail |
| Albert Bustamante (D-Texas) 1993 | Racketeering & accepting illegal gratuity * Convicted |
| Nick Mavroules (D-Mass.) 1992 | Bribery, tax evision, influence peddling * Pleaded guilty, served 15-month jail sentence |
| Joseph Mavroules (R-Pa.) 1992 | Accepting illegal gratuities |
| Floyd H. Flake (D-N.Y.) 1991 | Conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion for allegedly diverting $141,000, including federal housing funds, from projects run by the church where he served as pastor. * Trial opened 3/11/91 Charges dropped |
| Donald E. 'Buz' Lukens (R-Ohio) 2/23/89 | Contributing to unruliness & delinquency of a minor by having sex with a 16-year-old girl * Convicted 5/26/89 Jailed for 9 days |
| Robert Garcia (D-N.Y.) 11-21-88 | Influence-peddling bribery, extortion, conspiracy (WEDTECH) * Convicted 10/10/89 Conviction overturned on appeal 6/29/90 |
| Pat Swindall (R-Ga.) 10/17/88 | Perjury * Convicted on nine counts, 6/20/89. Sentenced to 1 year |
| Fofo I.F. Sunia (D-Amer. Somoa) 7/27/88 | Conspiracy to defraud the gov't by payroll padding * Pleaded guilty 8/4/88 |
| Harold E. Ford (D-Tenn.) 4/24/87 | Bank fraud, mail fraud, tax fraud * Jury deadlocked, 1990. Acquited, 1993. |
| Mario Biaggi (D-N.Y.) 3/16/87 | Obstructing justice, accepting illegal gratuity. Racketeering, tax evasion, perjury, conspiracy, extortion, obstructing justice, accepting bribes (WEDTECH) * Convicted 9/22/87 Jailed for 26 months. |
| Henry B. Gonzales (D-Texas) 12/4/86 | Assault * Charges dropped |
| Bobbi Fiedler (R-Calif.) 1/24/86 | Violating state election code by offering a candidate money to leave race * Dismissed 2/26/86 |
| Sen. Bob Kasten (R-Wis.) 12/12/85 | D.U.I. * Charges dropped 4/11/86 |
| (R-Idaho)George Hansen 4/7/83 | Filing false financial disclosure statements * Convicted 4/2/84 Sentenced to 15 months, 6/15/84 |
| James A. Traficant Jr. (D-Ohio) | Bribery * Acquitted |
| Ike Andrews (D-N.C.) 10-82 | D.W.I. * Pleaded guilty |
| Jon C. Hinson (R-Miss.) 2-4-81 | Committing sodomy * Pleaded no contest to reduced charge |
| Charles J. 11-12-80 Carney | Accepting illegal gratuity * Dismissed 11/23/81 |
| Sen. Harrison Williams Jr. A. 'Pete' (D-N.J.) 10/30/80 | Conspiracy to defraud gov't, bribery, receiving unlawful gratuity & illegal compensation, inter-state travel to commit bribery & aid racketeering (ABSCAM) * Convicted 5/1/81 |
| Robert E. Bauman (R-Md.) 10/3/80 | Soliciting sex from a minor * Charges dropped 3/31/81 |
| Richard Kelly (R-Fla.) 7/15/80 | Bribery, conspiracy, violating Travel Act (ABSCAM) * Convicted 1/26/81 Acquitted 5/13/82 |
| John M. Murphy (D-N.Y.) 6/18/80 | Influence-peddling, accepting outside money to perform official duties, aiding racketeering receipt of unlawful gratuity, bribery (ABSCAM) * Convicted on most counts 12/3/80. Sentenced to 3 years |
| Frank Thompson Jr. (D-N.J.) | Influence-peddling, accepting outside money to perform 6/18/80 official duties, aiding racketeering receipt of unlawful gratuity, bribery (ABSCAM) * Convicted 12/3/80 (several charges dismissed) Jailed for 13 months |
| John W. Jenrette Jr. (D-S.C.) 7/15/80 | Bribery, conspiracy, violating Travel Act (ABSCAM) * Convicted 10/7/80 Sentenced to 2 years |
| Raymond R. Lederer (D-S.C.) 5/18/80 | Influence-peddling, bribery, conspiracy, accepting illegal gratuity, aiding racketeering, (ABSCAM) * Convicted 1/9/81. Jailed for 1 year |
| Claude Leach (D-La.) 7/20/79 | Buying votes; Violating fed. campaign finance laws * Acquitted of vote-buying 11/1/79; Other charge ruled improper 12/20/80 |
| Michael O. Myers (D-Pa) 1-16-79 | Disorderly conduct Bribery, conspiracy 5-27-80 * Pleaded no contest 4/10/79 Convicted, 8/30/80; Sentenced to 3 years |
| Nick Galifianakis (D-N.C.) 4/10/79 | Perjury * Charges dismissed 8/3/79 |
| Joshua Eilberg (D-Pa.) 10/24/78 | Illegally receiving compensation * Pleaded guilty 2/24/79 |
| Herbert Burke (R-Fla.) 5/27/78 | Intoxication, resisting resisting arrest, influencing a witness * Pleaded guilty 9/26/78 |
| Daniel J. Flood (D-Pa.) 1978 | Perjury, bribery, conspiracy * Pleading guilty to mail fraud and tax evasion 6/12/80 |
| Frank M. Clark (D-Pa.) 9/5/78 | Mail fraud, perjury, income tax evasion * Pleaded guilty to mail fraud and tax evasion 6/12/79 |
| Federick Richmond (D-N.Y.) 4/6/78 | Soliciting sex for pay * Charges dropped 5/3/78 |
| Otto E. Passman (D-La.) 3/23/78 | Bribery, conspiracy income tax evasion * Acquitted 4/1/79 |
| Charles C. Diggs Jr. (D-Mich.) 10/7/78 | Mail fraud, perjury Sentenced to 3 years * Convicted |
| Richard T. Hanna (D-Calif.) 10/14/77 | Conspiracy to defraud the gov't * Pleaded guilty 3/17/78 Jailed for 18 months |
| Edward A. Garmatz (D-Md.) 8/1/77 | Bribery, conspiracy, influence peddling * Case abandoned by Justice Dept. 1/9/78 |
| Richard A. Tonry (D-La.) 8/1/77 | Receiving illegal campaign contributions, promising Federal patronage to contributors, obstructing justice, conspiracy * Pleaded guilty 7/1/77 Jailed for 6 months |
| James F. Hastings (R-N.Y.) 9/21/76 | Operating a kickback scheme with members of his congressional staff, mail fraud, filing false vouchers * Convicted 12/17/76. Jailed for 14 months |
| Frank J. Horton | Reckless driving, D.W.I.,speeding * Pleaded guilty 8/31/76 |
| Allan T. Howe (D-Utah) 6/12/76 | Soliciting sex acts for pay * Convicted 7/23/76 Upheld on appeal |
| Henry J. Helstoski (D-N.J.) 6/2/76 | Bribery, conspiracy, obstructing justice, perjury * Charges dismissed 9/22/79 & 2/27/80 |
| James R. Jones (D-Okla.) 1/29/76 | Failing to report a cash campaign contribution (not formally indicted) * Pleaded guilty |
| Wendell Wyatt (R-Ore.) 6/11/75 | Violating campaign spending laws (not formally indicted) * Pleaded guilty |
| Andrew J. Hinshaw (R-Calif.) 5/6/75 | Soliciting a bribe, bribery, embezzlement, misappropriation of public funds; Grand conspiracy * Convicted of bribery 1/26/76. Convicted of misappropriation of public funds & petty theft. Jailed |
| George Hansen (R-Idaho) 2/19/75 | Violating campaign spending laws * Pleaded guilty (not formally indicted) |
| Sen. Edward J. Gurney (R-Fla.) 1974 | Violating Fla. campaign finance law. Conspiracy, perjury, soliciting bribes * Acquitted 8/6/75 & 10/27/76 |
| Angelo D. Roncallo (R-N.Y.) 2/21/74 | Extorting political contributions * Acquitted 5/17/74 |
| Frank J. Brasco (D-N.Y.) 2/21/74 | Conspiracy to receive bribes * Convicted 7/19/74 Jailed. |
| Bertram L. Podell (D-N.Y.) 7/12/73 | Conspiracy, bribery, perjury * Pleaded guilty to conspiracy & conflict of interest, Jailed |
| J. Irving Whalley (R-Pa.) 7/5/73 | Mail fraud, obstruction of justice, payroll abuse, threatening federal witness * Pleaded guilty 7/31/73 |
| Gallagher Cornelius (D-N.J.) 1972 | Federal income tax evasion, perjury, conspiracy * Pleaded guilty to tax evasion charge 12/21/72; Jailed 4/7/72 |
| Martin B. McNeally (R-N.Y.) 10/18/70 | Failure to file fed. income tax returns for four years. * Pleaded guilty to one year's lapse |
| John V. Dowdy (D-Texas) 3/31/70 | Conspiracy, conflict of interest, perjury, obstructing justice, facilitating bribery * Convicted 12/31/70 Sentenced to 18 mos. |
| Hugh J. Addonizio (D-N.J.) 12/18/69 | Extortion, conspiracy, income tax evasion * Convicted 7/22/70 Sentenced to 10 years. |
| Sen. Daniel Brewster (D-Md.) 12/1/69 | Soliciting and accepting bribes * Dismissed 10/9/70 Dismissal reversed '72 Convicted 11/17/72 Conviction reversed Pled no contest. |
| Frank W. Boykin (D-Ala.) 10/16/62 | Conflict of interest, conspiracy to defraud government suspended jail sent. * Convicted 6/13/63 Fined $40,000 plus |
| Thomas F. Johnson (D-Md.) 10/16/62 | Conflict of interest conspiracy to defraud the gov't. * Convicted 6/13/63 Reversed 9/16/64 Convicted of conflict of interest 1/26/68 |
| Adam Clayton Powell Jr. (D-N.Y.) 5/8/58 | Federal income tax evasion, Criminal contempt of court for avoiding payment of $160,000 defamation of character judgment and failing to appear in court for civil suit * Federal judge threw out 2 of 3 counts 4/22/60; trial on 3rd count ended in hung jury; judge denied motion for acquital; case dismissed. |
| William J. Green Jr. (D-Pa.) 12/14/56 | Conspiracy to defraud the gov't.; influence peddling * Acquitted 2/27/59 |
| Thomas J. Lane (D-Mass.) 3/5/56 | Federal income tax evasion * Pleaded quilty 4/30 sentenced to 4 mos. prison & fined $10,000 released 9/4/56 |
| Ernest K. Bramblett (R-Calif) 6/17/53 | Making false statements about congressional payroll kickbacks * Convicted 2/9/54 fined $5000, sentence, 2-4 months (suspended) 6/15/55 |
| John L. McMillan (D-S.C.) 1/14/53 | Violated law barring members of Congress from contracting with the government * Acquitted 5/16/73 |
| Theodore Leonard Irving (D-Mo.) 6/8/51 | Misusing labor union funds for 1948 campaign * Acquitted 12/28/51 |
| Walter E. Brehm (R-Ohio) 12/20/50 | Accepting illegal campaign contributions * Convicted 4/30/51 sentence 5-15 mos. (suspended) and fined $5,000 |
| J. Parnell Thomas (R-N.J.) 11/8/48 | Conspiracy to defraud U.S. govt., payroll padding, receiving salary kickbacks * Convicted 11/30/49 sentenced to 6-18 mos. Paroled 9/18/50. Pardoned 12/24/50 |
| Andrew J. May (D-Ky.) 1/23/47 | Conspiracy to defraud U.S. gov't, accepting bribes * Convicted 7/3/49 served 9 mos of 8-24 mo. sentence. Paroled 9/18/50. Pardoned 12/24/50 |
| James M. Curley (D-Mass.) 1943-44 | Mail fraud, conspiracy * Voided 10/1/43. Convicted 1/18/46 served 5 of 6-18 month sentence Sentence commuted 11/26/47; pardoned 4/12/50 by Harry S. Truman |
| B. Frank Whelchel (D-Ga) 1940 | Accepting money to obtain appointive offices for certain constituents * Acquitted |
| John H. Hoeppel (D-Calif.) 1936 | Influence-peddling. sentenced to 4 mo-1 yr. Fined $1,000 * Convicted 1936 |
| George E. Foulkes (D-Mich.) 1934 | Conspiracy to assess political contributions from postmasters * Convicted 1934-5, sentenced to 18 mos. fined $1,000 |
| Harry E. Rowbottom (R-Ind.) 1931 | Accepting bribes * Convicted 1931 sentenced to 1 year & 1 day; paroled after 9 mos. |
| Federick N. Zihlman Bribery (R-Md.) 12/10/29 | * Acquitted |
| Edward E. Denison (R-Ill.) 10/19/29 | Violating Prohibition by possessing alcohol * Court sustained a demurrer to indictment 6/30/30 |
| M. Alfred Michaelson (R-Ill.) 5/9/29 | Violating Prohibition by importing liquor * Acquitted 10/19/29 |
| John W. Langley (R-Ky) March, 1924 | Violating Prohibition, influence-peddling, conspiracy * Convicted 5/13/24 Conviction upheld 1/26/25 |
| Sen. Burton K. Wheeler (D-Mont.) April, 1924 | Illegally receiving compensation for services * Acquitted |
| Sen. Truman H. Newberry (R-Mich.) 11/29/19 | Conspired to spend money to secure election to Senate * Convicted 3/20/20 sentenced to 2 yrs. fined $10,000 decision reversed 5/21/21 |
| Victor L. Berger (S-Wisc.) Feb. 1918 | Violating Espionage Act * Convicted Jan. 1919, sentenced to 20 yrs. conviction reversed by Supreme Court |
| Sen. Joseph R. Burton (R-Kan.) 1/23/04 | Representing a client in a proceeding involving U.S. gov't * Convicted 3/28/04 reversed 1/16/05 reindicted 7/3/05 reconvicted 11/26/05 |
| Sen. John H. Mitchell (R-Ore.) 6/22/05 | Conspiracy, bribery, influence-peddling * Convicted July, 1905 Died while case was being appealed; 5/21/04 conviction upheld by Supreme Ct. |
| John N. Williamson (R-Ore.) 2/11/05 | Conspiracy to defraud the gov't; inducing others to commit perjury * Convicted 9/05 sentenced to fine and 10 mos; decision reversed in 1908 |
| Binger Hermann (R-Ore) 12/31/04 | Conspiracy to defraud U.S. of public lands, destroying public records * Dismissed |
| Sen. Charles H. Dietrich (R-Neb.) 12/28/03 | Bribery, conspiracy to defraud the gov't holding a gov't contract while in elective office * Acquitted and nolle prosequi 1/8/04 |
| Robert Smalls (R-S.C.) Oct. 1877 | Accepting a bribe * Convicted |
| Philemon T. Herbert ( -Calif.) May, 1856 | Manslaughter * Acquitted July, 1856 |
| Sen. John Smith (D-Ohio) 1807 (?) | Treason, misdemeanor co-conspirator with Aaron Burr against U.S. * Acquitted |
| Matthew Lyon (Ky.) 1798 | Violating Sedition Act * Convicted 1798, jailed; fine refunded to heirs 1840 |
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