Democrat or Republican: which party has the most sex scandals?

RobbieFTW wrote:About even. Main diff is that Dem sex scandals are usually with women!

RobbieFTW wrote:About even. Main diff is that Dem sex scandals are usually with women!

Forgiveness Man wrote:

RobbieFTW wrote:About even. Main diff is that Dem sex scandals are usually with women!

That'd be funny if it were only rooted in truth. lol

RobbieFTW wrote:I speak the truth!

RobbieFTW wrote:About even. Main diff is that Dem sex scandals are usually with women!

RobbieFTW wrote:About even. Main diff is that Dem sex scandals are usually with women!

Rockbird wrote:Ha. It's kind of true, though.

Rockbird wrote:You keep telling yourself that. Whatever helps you sleep at night.

RobbieFTW wrote:

Forgiveness Man wrote:

That'd be funny if it were only rooted in truth. lol

I speak the truth!

Forgiveness Man wrote:

RobbieFTW wrote:I speak the truth!

Not today.

Forgiveness Man wrote:

Rockbird wrote:Ha. It's kind of true, though.

Even though it's actually not.

Rockbird wrote:You left out the part where he threw gum in my hair!

With every other issue devolving into partisan finger-pointing, The Daily Beast thought it would use two decades of cold, hard data and rational methodology to answer the question everyone in Washington wants to know: Which party has more problems with sex scandals?

After studying more than 60 scandals over the past 20 years involving all politicians or major candidates for city mayor and above—many involved crimes, others just allegations, but all wound up as tabloid fodder—some conclusions can be reached.

• The number of sex scandals has increased dramatically over the past few decades, thanks to technology, new press standards, and a post-Clinton belief that everything is fair game.

• Republicans have more scandals (35 to 28), but Democrats have bigger ones, based on our methodology (13 out of the top 20).

• Democrats tend to have more problems with harassment, staffers, and underage girls; Republicans tend to have more problems with prostitutes, hypocrisy, and underage boys.

To offer some clarity, we’ve broken the scandals into categories, and graded them Cook Report-style. We also ranked all sex scandals overall, using a methodology that accounted for whether a crime was committed, versus inappropriate behavior; whether the charges were proven, versus alleged; the level of office held; and whether the incident involved children, staff, a cover-up or hypocrisy.

Prostitution

This category combines both those who solicited a prostitute but for whatever reason did not accept—think former Idaho Senator Larry Craig—and those who went ahead and became johns. Republicans by a count of six-to-one have been involved in prostitution scandals. For our rankings, soliciting prostitution without accepting it was weighted slightly lower than becoming a john.

Solid Republican (6-1)

Staffer

There’s a clear abuse of power when a politician and his employee is involved in a sex scandal. Democrats, by a count of 16 to six, have seemingly leveraged that power imbalance more.

Solid Democrat (16-6)

Hypocrisy

Almost half the sex scandals we turned up involved someone saying one thing while doing another. The earliest example was womens’ rights champion Robert Packwood, who in 1992 was infamously slapped with several sexual-harassment and abuse charges from former female staffers.

Solid Republican (17-9)

Sexual harassment

Whether threats or phone calls, it’s mostly been Democrats.

Solid Democrat (9-2)

Adultery

Bipartisanship? More of a personal ethical issue rather than a legal one, the adultery category is the most populated, with Republicans and Democrats nearly even, with the Schwarzenegger scandal tipping the category to the Republicans.

Lean Republican (21-20)

Inappropriate conduct with a minor

This type of scandal indicates at the least a serious flaw or lapse in judgment. The most infamous example is former Representative Mark Foley, who exchanged sexually charged emails and instant messages with underage pages. Two Republicans and one Democrat have been involved in this type of scandal.

Lean Republican (2-1)

Sexual relations with a minor

Far more serious than above: the most serious charge, in fact, among all recent political sex scandals. Conviction carries more than a decade in jail, based on federal sentencing guidelines.

Toss up (3-3)

Out-of-wedlock child

Three Republicans have confirmed having children as a result of extramarital affairs, compared to one Democrat. Of course, Schwarzenegger is the latest.

Solid Republican (3-1)

Sexual assault

Six Democrats have faced allegations of sexual assault, compared to four for Republicans.

Lean Democrat (6-4)

Cuckolding

Republicans have had four scandals involving an affair with a married woman—compared to one for Democrats. The only woman on this list, Helen Chenoweth, created a cuckquean (who knew?) out of her lover’s wife.

Solid Republican (4-1)

Coverup

Either with money or behind-the-scenes wrangling or just weak denial lies, six Republicans have been caught covering up a sex scandal, compared with three Democrats, with payoffs ranging from $150,000 or a job for a spouse to, allegedly, $20.

Lean Republican (6-3)

Hyacinth Girl wrote:

RobbieFTW wrote:

I speak the truth!

Forgiveness Man wrote:

Not today.

Forgiveness Man wrote:

Even though it's actually not.

"I know you are, but what am I??"

"Stop hittin' yourself! Stop hittin' yourself!" *Forgiveness Man takes Robbie's hand, slaps own arm with it*

"You're gonna git it! I'm tellin' Mom---MOOOOOM!!"

"Robbie started it!"

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did!"

"Didn't!"

"Did!"

"Rockbird's laughing! MOM!!!"








(Sorry---I couldn't resist. . . .it just fit so perfectly! LOL)

alan smithee wrote:

• Democrats tend to have more problems with harassment, staffers, and underage girls; Republicans tend to have more problems with prostitutes, hypocrisy, and underage boys.

RobbieFTW wrote:About even. Main diff is that Dem sex scandals are usually with women!

Forgiveness Man wrote:They're likely about even. Politicians are politicians. I ain't no partier anyway.

RobbieFTW wrote:About even. Main diff is that Dem sex scandals are usually with women!

Chris wrote:With Anthony Weiner as the latest, and he's a Democrat, I'm wondering which party do you notice tends to find itself immersed in more sex scandals?