Under President Ulysses S. Grant, John MacDonald created one of the most lucrative scams ever to grace the spirits business, leading to a trial that had the President himself doing the unheard of: testifying as a witness on behalf of the defendant.

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In the years before the American Civil War, the territory of Kansas was fraught with conflict between abolitionist Free Soilers and Pro-slavery Southerners. Statehood for Kansas hung in the balance of one election dictating which party would lead the local government in its quest for the Union.

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On the surface, Tom Eagleton seemed the ideal running mate for George McGovern’s 1972 presidential campaign. But upon closer examination, there were odd details about Eagleton—details that contributed to one of the worst presidential election defeats in history.

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He was one of the strangest, most colorful men to ever tread the House of Representatives. After successfully defending himself against a racketeering charge in the early 1980s, James Traficant knew the FBI would stay close—looking for any opportunity to take him down.

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He was President Richard Nixon’s ace-in-the-hole for the U.S. Supreme Court in 1970. The Senate had other thoughts—rejecting G. Harrold Carswell’s nomination after reporters uncovered a speech in which he endorsed racial segregation as a legislative candidate in Georgia.

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Most people would be hard-pressed to name even one of John Jay’s accomplishments. In fact, there was a time when Jay had a path to the presidency. But before he even got that shot, Jay ran for Governor of New York. And despite getting more votes than his opponent, Jay was declared the loser.

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After becoming Governor of Louisiana in 1928, Huey Long was on a warpath. He sought to force out anyone who opposed him and take control of the state through any means necessary.

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It was a scandal in which defense contractors paid bribes to members of Congress and officials in the U.S. Defense Department. Most notable amongst the recipients of the bribes was California Congressman Duke Cunningham, who pleaded guilty in 2005 to receiving over $2.3 million in bribes.

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He was a politician, frontiersman, lawyer, and naval officer. But above all, Robert Potter was the ultimate sore loser. After failing in a House of Commons race, he challenged his opponent to a duel.

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