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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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. 

In 2007, Deborah Jeane Palfrey was indicted for racketeering and money laundering. Her escort service’s client list included men from the highest reaches of the U.S. government, stretching all the way into the dark halls of the White House. Read Less

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. Read Less

After serving terms in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, war hero Richard Johnson nearly derailed the presidential election of 1836 due to his marriage to Julia Chinn... his own slave. Read Less

In July of 1969, shortly after leaving a party that he was hosting, senator Ted Kennedy drove his Oldsmobile off a wooden bridge into a tide-swept pond. Kennedy escaped the submerged car, but his 28-year old passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, did not. Read Less