Sharon Bialek’s allegations of sexual harassment against Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain may have caught Cain and his camp off guard. But none of us should have been surprised.
Sex scandals have haunted American political campaigns since at least 1800, when then President John Adams defended himself during his losing re-election campaign against charges he dispatched an associate to Europe to recruit mistresses.
As years have passed, though, campaign sex scandals – and the women behind them – have become something of a national obsession. Here are the stories of Bialek and four other women, each of whose relationship with a candidate became a campaign focal point.
Sharon Bialek
50-year-old single mother Sharon Bialek has said that, in July 1997, Herman Cain “put his hand on my leg under my skirt and reached for my genitals. He also grabbed my head and brought it towards my crotch.” Cain claimed he never met Bialek and categorically denied her allegations. Since the story broke, Cain has sunk in the polls. And Bialek, who has hired high-powered attorney Gloria Allred, is gaining credibility as witnesses confirm that she and Cain met.
Gennifer Flowers
Gennifer Flowers, a former Arkansas state employee, rocked the 1992 presidential campaign by alleging a 12-year relationship with Gov. Bill Clinton. Clinton denied the allegations, but Flowers revealed secret recordings of conversations in which she and Clinton called each other “honey.” Hillary Clinton took to the talk show circuit to defend her husband, who, of course, eventually won the election. Clinton later acknowledged a sexual relationship with Flowers in grand jury testimony. Flowers posed for Penthouse magazine and is a singer, speaker and author.
Donna Rice
When photos surfaced of model-actress Donna Rice sitting on Sen. Gary Hart’s lap during the 1988 campaign for the Democratic nomination for president, frontrunner Hart’s role in the race came to a virtual halt. No verifiable details of the connection between Hart and Rice leaked to the press, but Hart withdrew from the race. Rice eschewed the spotlight and now campaigns for Internet safety.
Jeri Ryan
Late in the 2004 Illinois campaign for a United States Senate seat, Republican candidate Jack Ryan was a serious threat to then national newcomer Barack Obama. Then came the release of formerly sealed documents from Ryan’s divorce proceedings with Jeri, a well-known actress. The documents revealed allegations that Ryan forced his wife to visit sex clubs and perform sex acts while he watched. Ryan denied the allegations, but his campaign couldn’t recover and Obama won in a landslide. Jeri Ryan continues to succeed as a television actress.
Fanne Fox
How could this list not include Fanne Fox, the so-called “Argentine firecracker,” whose bizarre behavior linked her to Rep. Wilbur Mills. In 1974, Mills inexplicably began publicly socializing with Fox, a DC-area stripper who, like Mills, was married. When Fox ran into the tidal basin at West Potomac Park during a traffic stop (with Mills driving), Mills’ fate seemed sealed. Mills eventually won re-election the next month. Eventually, Mills acknowledged alcohol problems and joined Alcoholics Anonymous, and his political career was essentially over in 1976.