Scandalous Sites

Scandal in politics is nothing new, and there are plenty of sites throughout Washington, D.C., that figure prominently in scandalous stories and lore. There are also a number of specialized tours provided by private companies that will highlight these and other sites. Most of these listings are not open for regular tours, but this page will give you the address and a short synopsis of why the site may be of interest.

Aldrich Ames Home 2512 N. Randolph Street, Arlington, Virginia
This is the site where federal officers arrested Aldrich Ames and his wife Rosario in 1994 in what became the biggest spy scandal in many years. Ames had been selling secrets to the Russians and purchased this home in Arlington with the proceeds from his espionage. He was later convicted of spying and is currently serving a life sentence in a federal penitentiary. His wife received a five-year prison sentence, and went to South America to reside upon her release. Another site connected with Ames is Chadwick's, a pub in Georgetown where he provided his Soviet handler with the names of 20 CIA assets within the Soviet bloc. Ten of those individuals were executed.
Eisenhower Executive Office Building (also known as the EEOB or the Old Executive Office Building) 17th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
	This 1870s-era building, located next to the White House, is a National Historic Landmark and is used to house hundreds of Administration employees. In the 1980s, those employees included Lt. Col. Oliver North and his secretary, Fawn Hall, who were deeply involved in the cover-up regarding Iran-Contra. In this building, Hall shredded so many documents that the office shredder jammed and broke down.  The EEOB closed for public tours following September 11, 2001, and has not yet re-opened.  You can take a virtual tour at the EEOB website.
Gary Hart's Townhouse 517 6th Street, SE, Washington, DC
During his presidential campaign, Gary Hart, a Democrat U.S. Senator from Colorado, challenged reporters to find evidence of rumored philandering. The Miami Herald took up the challenge and staked out Hart's Capitol Hill townhouse. When Donna Rice arrived one night and didn't leave until the next morning, the newspaper ran the story. Hart claimed that reporters didn't watch both entrances to the home and could not have seen when Rice entered and left the building. But his presidential campaign was permanently damaged and he ultimately withdrew from the race.
Lafayette Square Park Across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House
	In September 1989, then-President George H.W. Bush gave a televised speech to unveil a new anti-drug policy. During the speech, he used a visual aid--a bag of crack cocaine that was purchased by undercover DEA agents at Lafayette Park, which is directly across the street from the White House. It was later discovered that the DEA agents had made the arrangements with a drug dealer to purchase the drugs at the park simply so that the drugs could be used as a visual for the Presidential speech.
Longworth House Office Building 1506 Independence and New Jersey Avenues, SE, Washington, DC
	For two years in the mid-1970s, Ohio Democrat Wayne Hays employed Elizabeth Ray as a congressional staffer. Ray eventually claimed to The Washington Post that she wasn't paid for any office work, but rather for being Hays' girlfriend. Her motivation for spilling to a Post reporter was that Hays recently married another woman (who also worked in the office) and Ray said she was afraid of losing her "job". Within a few weeks, Hays had resigned as chairman of the House Administration Committee and resigned from Congress about three months after that. He later served in the Ohio State Legislature, where he was defeated by Bob Ney, who was later elected to Congress and, in 2006, found himself under his own ethical cloud regarding bribery and conspiracy.
Tidal Basin Pool Maine Avenue, SW, Washington, DC
	In October 1974, then-House Ways and Mean Committee Chairman Wilbur Mills (D-Arkansas) spent the evening, partying with stripper Fanne Foxe. On his way home, his vehicle was stopped by the U.S. Park Police got driving without the lights on. Fox jumped out of the car and dove into the nearby Tidal Basin Pool. The incident was caught on film by a TV cameraman, and Mills later admitted to alcoholism, resigned his chairmanship and didn't run for re-election.
Vista Hotel, Room 727 1400 M Street, NW (on Scott Circle), Washington, DC
Former Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion Barry famously uttered "the b---- set me up" after being caught in an FBI sting that took place in this hotel room. Barry was brought to trial on 14 drug charges, but was convicted on only one count of cocaine possession. After serving a six-month federal prison sentence, Barry re-emerged in politics to be re-elected to Mayor of Washington, D.C., in 1994.
Watergate 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
	The Watergate Hotel stands as one of the most well-known scandal sites anywhere in the world. In fact, following the Watergate scandal, the word "gate" has been often added to the end of any currently-brewing scandal. It was here that the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee were bugged and burglars arrested, leading ultimately to the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon.
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