These American Presidents Had Ties to Criminal Activity

Which United States presidents might have ties to criminal activity? That's a fairly loaded question. Now, before diving into the full political implications of that, keep in mind this isn't something we're asking based purely on conjecture. Instead, today's list is taking a harder empirical look at presidents who allegedly might have been involved with the wrong side of the law.

Serving from 1921 to 1923, Warren G. Harding is leading of our list today. Harding's presidency was a short one, with his death in office before even completing his first term. That said, he was implicated in some fairly serious charges.

Among the many crimes Harding is alleged to have committed, the biggest is corruption. Harding is accused of packing many positions in his administration with his cronies. Further, Harding would be among the many to be implicated in the Teapot Dome Scandal.

Bill Clinton served as the president from 1993 to 2001, and is fondly remembered for his work on the American economy. That said, it wasn't all sunshine and roses for the 1990s with Clinton at the helm. The end of the decade saw Clinton impeached for his conduct.

Among the other things Bill Clinton is alleged to have done, the focus has to be given to Paula Jones. During his time as the state's governor, he was alleged to have sexually harassed Jones, and the civil suit was settled out of court. He was found to have lied under oath when facing Congress, which resulted in his impeachment.

Richard Nixon is largely defined by the smear on his legacy. While his time as president was monumental, including opening up China for trade after decades of isolationism, its his criminal activity that gets more of the spotlight these days.

It is impossible to mention Richard Nixon without bringing up Watergate. People in Nixon's employ broke into the DNC headquarters, and subsequently saw multiple attempts to cover up their actions. Nixon resigned in 1974, before he could be impeached and removed. He was ultimately pardoned by Gerald Ford, his successor.

Truman came to power at a pivotal time in the United States, and has a legacy mired in controversy. However, we're not here to talk about the ethical implications of the atomic bomb's first use. Instead, Truman has a mixed past of sorts.

We rarely talk about the kingmakers and string pullers behind the campaigns of the United States president. However, it is alleged that Truman had close ties with "Boss" Tom Pendergast. Pendergast himself was convicted of tax evasion and served time starting in 1939. It's alleged that criminal activity done by Pendergast was done to benefit Truman, starting back to Truman's time seeking office as a mere county clerk in Missouri.

45th and current president Donald Trump is unique among other presidents. Not getting into his policies, Trump is the first American president in the history of the office to have been criminally indicted.

The 2020 election was just one of the actions that saw Trump indicted. After attempting to overturn the presidential election and committing racketeering to overrule the election in the state of Georgia, nearly 86 charges were brought forward. Most of these have been dismissed at the time of this writing, except the racketeering charge in Georgia.

Reagan's presidency acted as a catalyst for much of the 1980s in the United States. Serving from 1981 to 1989, the former actor helped see the Cold War come to a close after raised tensions almost led to nuclear war.

Reagan's legacy is stained by the Iran-Contra affair, a fairly complex scandal that involved arms sales to Nicaraguan anti-communist rebels and selling missiles to Iranian officials. No one was officially charged, but a congressional probe was eventually sought to get answers as to why this happened.

Andrew Johnson is an interesting sort. He had a short tenure as president, coming into power shortly after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865. His tenure as president isn't marked by achievements, but rather by his misdeeds.

Johnson's conduct in the immediate wake of the American Civil War seems to be the larger motivating factor behind what have been deemed criminal activities. There isn't necessarily proof that Johnson broke the law as it stood, but pardoning Confederate soldiers and vetoing legislation that would aid freed slaves seemed to rankle Congress.

Grant is perhaps more recognized for his conduct on the battlefield than for the two terms he served as president. However, it led to some interesting results, as Grant was the first American president to appoint a special prosecutor.

Grant was never implicated or accused of skimming money from the distillers in Ohio who were seeking to aid him. However, officials from the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service would be indicted. Ultimately, Grant's secretary and long-time friend would be indicted, with Grant testifying on his behalf. It isn't proof of misconduct, but it certainly leaves a stain on Grant's legacy.