# Most embarrassing public officials **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 18, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889 "2009-08-18T22:50:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/41 "2009-08-20T13:57:41Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > I thought you might be kidding, so I looked it up on Google. Holy… :eek: That is one crazy [del]mother[/del]mulefucker. The mule-sex thing isn’t even the craziest part! ---
**Author:** ![cdsilv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cdsilv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdsilv)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/42 "2009-08-20T14:25:08Z")
Yah, but the name/activity seems to fit so well (Horsley/mulefucker)… ---
**Author:** ![Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamaika_a_jamaikaiake)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/43 "2009-08-20T15:49:13Z")
Jersey City Councilman [Steve Lipski](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2008/11/08/2008-11-08_jersey_city_councilman_steven_lipski_is_.html): > [@](#): > > …was arrested for urinating on a crowd of concertgoers from the balcony of a Washington nightclub, police and club sources said… Our Mayor Healy is pictured naked, drunk, and passed out on his porch in the first photo (I can’t find a good version) on a Google Image search for “jerramiah healy naked pictures.” This was widely distributed during his first run for mayor. In the recent money-for-kidneys corruption sting in NJ/Brooklyn, you will notice that over half of the arrests for “political corruption” are from Jersey City. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation\_Bid\_Rig#Arrests](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Bid_Rig#Arrests). What we lack in quality, we make up for in quantity. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/44 "2009-08-20T16:45:01Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > That is one crazy [del]mother[/del]mulefucker. The mule-sex thing isn’t even the craziest part! That is one seriously messed-up dude. From the bottom of the Wiki article: \*Horsley ran as a candidate for governor under his Creator’s Rights Party on a secessionist platform, and said he was willing to kill his own son, who is a sergeant in the U.S. Army, if he were sent to Georgia to stop him from seceding, and admitted to nearly killing his son once before. \* I’ll cast another vote for Jim Traficant, who I’m ashamed to say was once my congressman. I hadn’t known he was due for release from Federal prison so soon. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if he tried to get back into politics, and there are a bunch of people in the Mahoning Valley who still love him. Evan Mecham, governor of Arizona, was disgraced, impeached and removed from office in 1988. Ugh. He was a real piece of work: [Evan Mecham - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evan_mecham) Huey and Earl Long were not exactly pillars of probity in Louisiana politics: [Huey Long - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huey_Long), [Earl Long - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Long). When the notoriously corrupt Edwin Edwards ran against former Klansman David Duke for governor of Louisiana in 1991, the best his supporters could say was, “Better a lizard than a wizard”: [Edwin Edwards - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Edwards) I’m a loyal Democrat and I volunteered in both of Bill Clinton’s presidential campaigns, but the Lewinsky affair was deeply embarrassing, and a huge distraction in his second term. He should’ve resigned, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/45 "2009-08-20T18:31:20Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I can’t believe nobody has mentioned [Budd Dwyer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_Dwyer) yet! What’s more embarrassing than calling a press conference to publicly blow your own head off? Yup. Pennsylvania politics is _different._ And if anybody doubts that and starts talking about how their state is weirder, we Pennsylvanians can just say: “Budd Dwyer. Called a press conference so he could blow his own head off on live television. I WIN!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/46 "2009-08-20T18:48:05Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > When the notoriously corrupt Edwin Edwards ran against former Klansman David Duke for governor of Louisiana in 1991, the best his supporters could say was, “Better a lizard than a wizard”: [Edwin Edwards - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Edwards) I thought his unofficial campaign slogan was “Vote for the Crook: It’s Important” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/47 "2009-08-20T20:02:23Z")
They were both in wide circulation, shall we say. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/48 "2009-08-21T13:20:15Z")
When considering embarassing public officials, we shouldn’t neglect unelected officials. My current favorite is Eric McFadden, who was director of Ohio Governor Ted Strickland’s Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, also the co-founder and national field director for the Catholic Alliance for the Common Good. He recently was convicted of using nude photos [to pimp out a 17-year-old prostitute on craiglist](http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/07/10/copy/mcfadden.ART_ART_07-10-09_B1_R2EEBFK.html?sid=101), using several aliases including “God O Thunder”. Just another poor lamb who went astray. For bipartisan embarassment, there’s the [“Naked Photographer”](http://www.dispatch.com/live/contentbe/dispatch/2006/03/03/20060303-D4-01.html), who ran around the Columbus area for a year and a half, approaching women while wearing only sneakers and a knit cap and snapping pictures of them to document their reactions. He turned out to be an attorney working for the Ohio House’s Republican Caucus. For all-time public embarassment, it’s hard to beat the ethically challenged Tom DeLay, once my (urk) Congressman, who’s now going to be on Dancing With The Stars. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/49 "2009-08-21T16:01:47Z")
I’ll cast my vote for ex-Top Gun, congressional bribery record-holder, “Weepy” Duke Cunningham. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/50 "2009-08-23T20:12:58Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > If there were a scholarship fund set up, I’d donate $10 right now. > > For my nomination, I’m going to go with Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory: > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYuf4QlpaS0](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYuf4QlpaS0) Uh, hello, former Cincinnati Mayor Jerry Springer? The guy who pays hookers with checks. If there’s a political lifetime achievement award for being an asshole he would be my choice of nominee. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/51 "2009-08-23T21:32:26Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Uh, hello, former Cincinnati Mayor Jerry Springer? The guy who pays hookers with checks. If there’s a political lifetime achievement award for being an asshole he would be my choice of nominee. Amazingly enough, he became the mayor three years _after_ his check turned up in the “massage parlor”. There was a great segment about it on _This American Life_ a little while back. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/52 "2009-08-24T00:27:21Z")
I’m from Massachusetts (hangs head in shame) Where do I start? Teddy ‘Blond in the pond’ Kennedy John ‘Liveshot’ Kerry And who could forget [Mumbles](http://www.mumblesmenino.us/) ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/53 "2009-08-24T00:52:25Z")
> [@The\_Vorlon](#): > > I’m from Massachusetts (hangs head in shame) > > Where do I start? > > Teddy ‘Blond in the pond’ Kennedy > John ‘Liveshot’ Kerry I’m not embarrassed by either of them. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/54 "2009-08-24T00:58:36Z")
Liveshot? Whah? ‘Macaca’. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/55 "2009-08-24T01:53:08Z")
I hate to be “that guy”, but seriously, no one has mentioned Elliot Spitzer yet? Knowing that a man I voted for to be the governer likes to screw his hookers bareback is just too much information. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/56 "2009-08-24T04:28:17Z")
Liveshot had the superpower of showing up, like a Whack-a-mole, when any news crew does a standup shot anywhere near him. Then there was the little matter of ordering a fire hydrent moved from in front of his Beacon Hill home in boston, so he could have another parking spot… And our local solons on Beacon Hill, well they could have used the state house for a casting call for the cantina in “Star Wars” Most of the people in the state house are in a photo finish with a Grand Jury. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/57 "2009-08-24T05:54:18Z")
> [@The\_Vorlon](#): > > Liveshot had the superpower of showing up, like a Whack-a-mole, when any news crew does a standup shot anywhere near him. A politician who likes to be on TV? Oh, the humanity! ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/58 "2009-08-24T10:50:17Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > A politician who likes to be on TV? Oh, the humanity! Yeah, that’s pretty boring as politicians go. Chicago has a long and colorful history with them. More recent minor ones include Alderman [Arenda Troutman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arenda_Troutman), who was thought to be dating a gang leader that the FBI was trying to arrest at the time. He was seen driving her car, and there was a letter found in his home from the police chief to her. The Wiki article notes: “Troutman commented that she thought he was “a businessman” and that she let “everybody” drive her car.” Eventually she was busted for taking bribes and sent to prison. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889/59 "2009-08-24T15:30:47Z")
All of the Chicago judges and court personnel nailed by the FBI’s Operation Greylord in the early Eighties should be on the list, too. I remember one of the judges told his girlfriend not to wear the fur coat he gave her in public because he was pretty sure it had been stolen. :rolleyes: Crooked _and_ stoopid - what a combination! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarrassing-public-officials/506889.md?page=2)