By Sweta Choudhury

Copyright inquisitr

Politics is a game of convenience; it’s messy, tedious, unpredictable, and not for the weak! It’s tougher in democratic countries where public opinion is the only verdict. The current political state in America is as unpredictable as Trump’s moods. It’s volatile, engaging, and full of scandals (at least after Trump came to power).

Scandals are a part of every public figure’s life. As someone responsible for improving a country and its citizens’ well-being, we know it’s natural for people to misunderstand or scrutinize them daily. Like President Donald Trump, many other politicians in America have been in legal trouble, and some have even gone to jail.

As per The List, while U.S. presidents like Ulysses S. Grant were arrested in office (charged with speeding with his horse and buggy), Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts. However, he hasn’t served jail time. Others haven’t been so lucky, and neither have their partners.

For instance, former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife, Chicago alderwoman Sandi Jackson, were convicted in 2013 for misusing over $750,000 in campaign funds. They spent the money on personal luxuries like vacations, fur coats, and memorabilia signed by celebrities like Michael Jackson and Bruce Lee. They served their designated jail time after pleading guilty.

Similarly, Virginia’s former governor Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, were found guilty of accepting over $170,000 in gifts and bribes from Star Scientific in exchange for promoting the company’s products.

Even though Bob McDonnell’s case was altered, his wife was sentenced to one year and one day in prison. The public shame and clear harm to her reputation hurt her more than the sentence. “I would ask you to consider the punishment I already received,” she said.

Detroit city councilwoman Monica Conyers, wife of U.S. Rep. John Conyers, pleaded guilty to bribery in a $1 billion sludge-hauling contract. While corruption may be a common phenomenon in third-world countries with no severe punishment, it’s way worse than everyone thinks in America.

Yet, after Monica’s release, she attempted a political comeback despite her ban from holding office. In another bribery-related case, Senator Robert Menendez and his wife, Nadine, were convicted in a large-scale international bribery case (expensive gifts) tied to Egyptian officials between 2018 and 2022. Nadine claimed she was misled by her husband, but was sentenced to 4.5 years. Robert received 11 years.

Next, Representative Cori Bush’s husband, Cortney Merritts, was arrested in 2025 for COVID relief fraud. He applied for and received over $20,000 in small business loans by lying on applications. Reportedly, Merritts lied about the number of employees and submitted two identical applications to the program to acquire more money and satisfy his greed.

Lastly, we have Kim Taylor, the wife of former Iowa Rep. Jeremy Taylor, who was charged with 52 counts of voter fraud for forging absentee ballots to boost her husband’s campaign in a predominantly Vietnamese community. Although Jeremy wasn’t charged, he stepped down from office in 2023 after the incident. He vowed never to run for office again.

Taylor’s decision is surprising, considering greed and ego are common human emotions. In cases like these, politicians can come back with a greater vendetta. Therefore, these cases prove that even though politicians may have power, no one is above the law. Remember the infamous law of karma: you reap what you sow, and every dog has its day!

Disclaimer: All information for this article has been taken from secondary sources mentioned above, and Inquisitr is not responsible for any of the information stated above.