05/05/2026
When looking specifically at political appointees (individuals personally chosen by President Obama to fill key roles), the numbers for criminal convictions are historically low compared to other two-term administrations, though there were significant cases of s*xual misconduct and "crimes of information" (leaks).Here is the breakdown of appointees who were convicted or faced serious public accusations:Criminal Convictions (Appointees)While the administration often claimed to be "scandal-free" in terms of criminal indictments, several high-profile appointees were convicted of serious crimes:Rahamim Shy (Senior Policy Adviser): A former senior policy adviser on counter-terrorist financing, Shy was sentenced in early 2025 (for crimes committed/investigated later) to 11.5 years in prison for child s*x offenses, including arranging to r**e a child. Wade Sanders (Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy): A political appointee sentenced in 2009 to 37 months in prison for possession of child po*******hy. David Petraeus (CIA Director): Though his crime was "mishandling classified information" (a misdemeanor), the case was inextricably linked to an extramarital affair and s*xual misconduct themes in the media. He received two years of probation and a $100,000 fine.James Cartwright (Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs): A high-ranking military appointee who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI during a leak investigation. He was later pardoned by President Obama before leaving office. S*xual Misconduct Accusations (Appointees)Many accusations didn't lead to criminal court but resulted in resignations or scathing administrative reports:The DOJ Civil Division Scandal: A 2017 Inspector General report found that high-level supervisors within the Justice Department's Civil Division (appointees and senior staff) were "guilty" of groping and stalking colleagues. The report specifically noted that instead of being prosecuted, some were given performance bonuses or allowed to retire with full benefits. Eric Schneiderman: While a state-level official (NY Attorney General), he was a high-profile Obama ally and surrogate. He resigned in 2018 after multiple women accused him of physical abuse and s*xual assault.Secret Service Prostitution Scandal (2012): While not "appointees" in the political sense, the agents were part of the President's immediate team. Over a dozen agents and military personnel were disciplined or ousted for bringing prostitutes back to their hotel in Cartagena, Colombia, prior to a presidential visit.Other Notable Legal/Ethical ChargesEric Holder (Attorney General): He was the first sitting Cabinet member to be held in Contempt of Congress (2012). While this is a legal citation rather than a "street crime," it involved the withholding of documents in a criminal investigation (Operation Fast and Furious).Lois Lerner (IRS Director of Exempt Organizations): Accused of targeting political groups. She was held in contempt of Congress after pleading the Fifth Amendment, though the DOJ ultimately declined to prosecute her criminally.Summary TableAppointee / Team MemberRoleOffense / AccusationOutcomeRahamim ShySenior Policy AdviserChild S*x Offenses11.5 Years PrisonWade SandersDeputy Asst. Sec. NavyChild Pornography37 Months PrisonDavid PetraeusCIA DirectorMishandling Classified InfoProbation / ResignationJames CartwrightGen. / Joint ChiefsLying to the FBIPleaded Guilty / PardonedDOJ Civil Div. StaffSenior OfficialsGroping / StalkingAdministrative DisciplineWhile the administration avoided the massive "conspiracy" convictions seen in eras like Watergate or the Iran-Contra affair, the cases involving Wade Sanders and Rahamim Shy stand out as the most severe criminal convictions involving s*xual crimes among the appointee class.
