A History of Washington Sex Scandals and Misconduct

Some Washington sex scandals of recent years

—Rep. Eric Massa, R-N.Y.: Massa resigned in 2010 after less than two years in office following reports that the House Ethics Committee was examining allegations that he'd harassed a male aide. The Washington Post reported that Massa, who was married, had groped several male staffers over the previous year. After resigning, he denied the accusations but said he'd had tickle fights with aides in a house they shared.

—Sen. David Vitter, R-La.: In 2007, Vitter apologized for a "very serious sin" after his phone number appeared in a call list of a high-end Washington escort service run by the so-called D.C. Madam, Deborah Jean Palfrey. He won re-election to the Senate in a landslide in 2010, but lost a 2015 bid to become Louisiana governor. He served in the Senate until last January.

—Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla.: The six-term lawmaker immediately resigned from Congress in 2006 as reports emerged that he'd sent sexually explicit messages to at least one teenage male former page. Foley apologized for "letting down" his family and Florida voters....