1981–1989 (Ronald Reagan presidency)
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Executive branch
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See also: Reagan administration scandals
Iran–Contra affair (1985–1986); A secret sale of arms to Iran, to secure the release of hostages and allow U.S. intelligence agencies to fund the Nicaraguan Contras, in violation of the Boland Amendment.[59]
Elliott Abrams (R) Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, convicted of withholding evidence. Given 2 years' probation. Later pardoned by President George H. W. Bush.[60]
Michael Deaver (R) White House Deputy Chief of Staff to Ronald Reagan, pleaded guilty to perjury related to lobbying activities and was sentenced to 3 years' probation and fined $100,000 (equivalent to $257,586 in 2022) (1987).[61]
Operation Ill Wind was a three-year investigation launched in 1986 by the FBI into corruption by U.S. government and military officials, and private defense contractors.
Melvyn Paisley (R) Assistant Secretary of the Navy,[62] was found to have accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes. He pleaded guilty to bribery and served four years in prison.[63][64][65]
Victor D. Cohen, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, was the 50th conviction obtained under the Ill Wind probe when he pleaded guilty to accepting bribes and conspiring to defraud the government. He was sentenced to 33 months in prison.[66][67]
James E. Gaines, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, took over when Paisley resigned his office.[68] Gaines was convicted of accepting an illegal gratuity and theft and conversion of government property. He was sentenced to six months in prison.[69]
Deborah Gore Dean (R) Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, convicted of fraud (1988).[70]
Housing and Urban Development Scandal was a controversy concerning bribery by selected contractors for low income housing projects.[71]
James G. Watt (R) United States Secretary of the Interior, was charged with 25 counts of perjury and obstruction of justice. Sentenced to five years' probation, fined $5,000 (equivalent to $9,603 in 2022) and 500 hours of community service (1995).[72]
Legislative branch
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Abscam FBI sting involving fake 'Arabs' trying to bribe 31 congressmen (1980).[73] The following Congressmen were convicted:
Harrison A. Williams Senator (D-NJ) Convicted on 9 counts of bribery and conspiracy. Sentenced to 3 years in prison.[74]
John Jenrette (D-SC) sentenced to two years in prison for bribery and conspiracy.[75]
Richard Kelly (R-FL) Accepted $25K and then claimed he was conducting his own investigation into corruption. Served 13 months.[76]
Raymond Lederer (D-PA) "I can give you me" he said after accepting $50K. Sentenced to 3 years.[77]
Michael Myers (D-PA) Accepted $50K saying, "...money talks and bullshit walks." Sentenced to 3 years and was expelled from the House.[78]
Frank Thompson (D-NJ) Sentenced to 3 years.[79]
John M. Murphy (D-NY) Served 20 months of a 3-year sentence.[80]
Jon Hinson (R-MS) was arrested for having homosexual oral sex in the House of Representatives' bathroom with a government staffer. Hinson, who was married, later received a 30-day jail sentence, and a year's probation, on condition that he get counseling and treatment (1981).[81][82]
Joshua Eilberg (D-PA) pleaded guilty to conflict-of-interest charges (1981).[44]
Dan Flood (D-PA) censured for bribery. After a trial ended in a deadlocked jury, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a year's probation (1981).[83][84]
Frederick W. Richmond (D-NY), Convicted of tax fraud and possession of marijuana. Served 9 months in prison (1982).[85]
George V. Hansen (R-ID) censured for failing to fill in disclosure forms. Spent 15 months in prison (1984).[86]
Wedtech scandal Wedtech Corporation was convicted of bribery in connection with Defense Department contracts.[87]
Mario Biaggi (D-NY) Convicted of obstruction of justice and accepting illegal gratuities he was sentenced to 2½ years in prison and fined $500K (equivalent to $1,287,932 in 2022) (1987).[88]
Robert Garcia (D-NY) sentenced to 2½ years.[89]
Pat Swindall (R-GA) convicted of 6 counts of perjury (1989).[90][91]
Judicial branch
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Harry E. Claiborne (D) Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, was convicted of tax evasion (1984).[92]
Walter Nixon (D) Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, was convicted of perjury (1986).[93]
