10 Biggest Scandals In American Politics

10. The Chappaquiddick Incident

With president J.F.K and Robert both assassinated in the 60s, many looked to the youngest Kennedy brother, Ted, as a likely candidate for the 1972 presidential election. However, that drastically changed with the Chappaquiddick Incident.

In 1969, Ted Kennedy was driving home late from a party when his car careened off a bridge into a pond. A female passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, drowned when she was not able to get out of the submerged car in time.

Everyone agreed that the crash was a terrible accident, but what turned it into scandal was Ted didn't report the incident to law enforcement for nine hours under account of experiencing a deep state of shock.

To this day, it has never been confirmed if he was driving under the influence or if his relationship with Kopechne was entirely plutonic, but most are convinced that the Chappaquiddick crash is why Ted never ran for president.