Where there are politicians, there are political scandals to go with them.
From local politics to the West Wing, no office is immune from impropriety. Whether it's an embarrassing sexting incident or a major ethics violation, these scandals have forced a number of politicians to resign from their post in shame — or even handcuffs.
But in some cases, scandal-plagued politicians manage to ride out the media firestorm, and remain in office, their careers relatively unscathed.
Here's a look back at the most memorable survivors of political scandal.
Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) was caught up in a gay prostitution scandal.
Not too long into his political career in 1989, Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank became involved with a male prostitute named Steve Gobie, and a scandal developed from there.
From the Washington Post:
Frank, one of two openly gay members of Congress, confirmed Friday that he paid Gobie for sex, hired him with personal funds as an aide and wrote letters on congressional stationery on his behalf to Virginia probation officials, but Frank said he fired Gobie when he learned that clients were visiting the apartment.
Frank ended up hiring him to run errands and live in his home, with the hopes that Gobie would reform. Instead, Gobie continued to work as a prostitute — out of the Congressman's residence.
A 10-month probe by the House Ethics Committee found that Frank was unaware of Gobie's activities in his home, but he was reprimanded for using his office to help Gobie get out of parking tickets and probation.
Frank survived the scandal and continued to represent Massachussetts in the House, becoming the head of the Banking Committee before retiring from politics in 2012 with his reputation intact.
Justice Clarence Thomas endured a bitter confirmation battle after allegations of sexual harassment.
When Justice Thurgood Marshall decided to retire in 1991, President George H.W. Bush tapped Clarence Thomas to take his place on the high court.
The conservative Thomas faced stiff opposition from a number of organizations. Despite dissent, most observers believed he ultimately would be confirmed.
But once his nomination reached the Senate, it took a dramatic turn with allegations that he sexually harassed Anita Hill, a former staffer who served under him at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Thomas vehemently denied the charges, calling the entire line of questioning a "high-tech lynching for uppity blacks who in any way deign to think for themselves, to do for themselves, to have different ideas."
The D.C. soap opera pitted Thomas' word against Hill's, and he was later confirmed by the Senate 52-48.
Thomas still serves on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) was a client of a prostitution service run by the 'D.C. Madam.'
The prosecution of Deborah Jeane Palfrey, better known as the D.C. Madam, didn't end with her conviction. The scandal hit Louisiana Senator David Vitter in July 2007, when his phone number was found on billing records for the escort service.
After the news broke, Vitter denied relationships with New Orleans prostitutes, and refused to answer questions, before finally emerging to apologize for actions in the past, without detailing specifics.
"I want to again offer my deep, sincere apologies to all those I have let down and disappointed with these actions from my past," Vitter toldThe Times-Picayune.
The released phone records found calls between 1999 and 2001 when Vitter was a member of the House of Representatives, but no criminal charges were filed due to statute of limitation restrictions.
Vitter still holds his seat in the U.S. Senate.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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