Political Scandals Not Involving Blagojevich

A former U.S. representative elected in the redneck Oregon congressional district where I grew up until scandal forced him out of re-election is now in the news again. From the AP report:

Former Oregon Congressman Wes Cooley has been indicted in Los Angeles on federal money laundering and tax charges.

Prosecutors say the indictment filed Thursday is related to an investment fraud scheme that bilked victims out of more than $10 million.

Cooley, 76, served in Congress with less than distinction during the years 1995-1997. Afterwards, he moved to Palm Springs.

Here is some information about Cooley's past scandals in case people don't know or forgot (from Wikipedia):

Cooley became embroiled in controversy after it was alleged that he had made false claims about serving in the Korean War. Cooley maintained that he had indeed served in the Korean War but that he was unable to prove his claim because he had served in the top-secret Army Special Forces and had been sworn to secrecy. He also claimed that the records of his service had been "destroyed in a fire", and that his immediate commander, Sergeant Major Clifford Poppy, had been killed in action.

A newspaper reporter tracked down the still-living Poppy, who had not been a member of the Special Forces but a drill instructor who had participated in Cooley's basic training at boot camp. When asked about Cooley's claims, Poppy harshly replied, "Tell him he’s a liar. Tell him Sergeant Poppy said that.” Poppy's response was later corroborated by three other former soldiers who, like many veterans, were concerned about a veteran with disputed status. Cooley responded with a veiled (and unsubstantiated) accusation that Poppy was suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.

Cooley became something of a national laughingstock, a caricature of the lying politician. He was a repeat subject of derisive coverage in News of the Weird, as it further came to light that he had "mistakenly" claimed a Phi Beta Kappa key and had fabricated or exaggerated achievements in a world motorcycle competition. When asked about the Phi Beta Kappa "mistake," Cooley responded that he was actually a member of another honor society, but he couldn't recall that society's name. When further pressed on both incidents, he stated that the "liberal media was engaging in character assassination."

The embattled Cooley was additionally plagued by allegations that his wife, Rosemary Herron Cooley (whose first husband died in a military plane crash in 1965), continued to receive benefit checks from the government as the widow of a veteran, several years after she had married Cooley (which would make them both felons, as a widow's benefits immediately cease upon remarriage, and there are severe penalties for falsifying federal documents). Cooley refused to answer questions about the date of his marriage, and his press spokesman explained that before Cooley could make a statement about when he got married, the congressman would first need to gather all the "facts at his disposal." Cooley finally stated they had been married in 1991, which is when his wife had stopped receiving the benefit checks; this was a full six years later than they had previously claimed.

Cooley got into major legal trouble for lying on the voter information pamphlet and was sentenced to two years probation.