This list consists of American politicians convicted of crimes either committed or prosecuted while holding office in the federal government. It includes politicians who were convicted or pleaded guilty in a court of law; and does not include politicians involved in unprosecuted scandals (which may or may not have been illegal in nature), or politicians who have only been arrested or indicted. The list also does not include crimes that occur outside the politician's tenure unless they specifically stem from acts while they were in office. It does not include convictions which were vacated (e.g. Ted Stevens (R), but does include convictions that were pardoned).
Although the convicted politicians are arranged by presidential terms in chronological order, many of the crimes have little or no connection to who is president. Since the passage of 20th Amendment on January 23, 1933, presidential terms have begun on January 20 of the year following the presidential election; prior to that, they began on March 4.
1776–1897
Matthew Lyon (DR-VT). First Congressman to be recommended for censure after spitting on Roger Griswold (Federalist-Connecticut). The censure failed to pass. Separately, found guilty of violating Alien and Sedition Acts and sentenced to four months in jail, during which time he was re-elected (1798). Charles F. Mitchell (R-NY) U.S. Representative from New York's 33rd District was convicted of forgery, sentenced to one year in prison and fined, though he was paroled early due to poor health (1841). Robert Smalls (R-SC) U.S. Representative from South Carolina was charged with accepting a $5,000 () bribe during 1877 in relation to a government printing contract and found guilty. Smalls was pardoned in 1879 by South Carolina Governor William Simpson.
1901–1909 (Theodore Roosevelt presidency)
Legislative branch
Joseph R. Burton Senator (R-KS) was convicted of accepting a $2,500 () bribe (1904). John Hipple Mitchell Senator (R-OR) was involved with the Oregon land fraud scandal, for which he was indicted and convicted while a sitting U.S. Senator (1905). Henry B. Cassel (R-PA) was convicted of fraud related to the construction of the Pennsylvania State Capitol (1909).
1909–1913 (William Howard Taft presidency)
Legislative branch
William Lorimer Senator (R-IL), The 'blond boss of Chicago' was found guilty of accepting bribes in 1912.
Judicial branch
Robert W. Archbald (R) Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, was convicted of corruption in 1912.
1921–1923 (Warren G. Harding presidency)
Executive branch
Albert Fall (R) Secretary of the Interior who was bribed by Harry F. Sinclair for control of the Teapot Dome federal oil reserves in Wyoming. He was the first U.S. cabinet member to ever be convicted; he served two years in prison (1922).
1923–1929 (Calvin Coolidge presidency)
Executive branch
William P. MacCracken Jr. (R) Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Aeronautics convicted of contempt of congress for the Air Mail scandal (1934).
Legislative branch
John W. Langley (R-KY) convicted of violating the Volstead Act (Prohibition). He had also been caught trying to bribe a Prohibition officer. He was sentenced to two years, after which his wife Katherine G. Langley ran for Congress in his place and won two full terms (1926).
1929–1933 (Herbert Hoover presidency)
Legislative branch
Harry E. Rowbottom (R-IN) was convicted in Federal court of accepting bribes from persons who sought post office appointments. He served one year in Leavenworth (1931).
1933–1945 (Franklin D. Roosevelt presidency)
Legislative branch
Michael J. Hogan (R-NY) was convicted of bribery and sentenced to a year and a day in a Federal Penitentiary (1935). George Ernest Foulkes (D-MI) was convicted of bribery (1935). Donald F. Snow (R-ME) was convicted of bribery (1935). John H. Hoeppel (D-CA) convicted of selling an appointment to the West Point Military Academy. He was fined $1,000 () and sentenced to 4–12 months in jail (1936).
1945–1953 (Harry S. Truman presidency)