Jun 18, 2017
Other big names linked with obstruction of justice
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Rebecca Zisser / Axios
President Trump is being investigated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller for possible obstruction of justice, and he's not the first big name — or even the first president — to be linked with potential obstruction.
Politicians
- President Richard Nixon, 1974: Before Nixon resigned, the House Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment against him. The first accusation was that he "prevented, obstructed and impeded the administration of justice." He was pardoned of any criminal offenses by Gerald Ford. (The Intercept)
- President Bill Clinton, 1998: The third article of impeachment in the case against Clinton concerned obstruction of justice because he allegedly told Monica Lewinsky to lie about their affair. (The Intercept)
- Scooter Libby, 2007: Vice President Cheney's former Chief of Staff was found guilty of obstructing an investigation into how former CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity was leaked, as well as lying to a grand jury and four felony counts of making false statements to the FBI. George W. Bush controversially commuted his sentence. (WaPo)
- Catalina Vasquez Villalpando, 1994: The U.S. Treasurer during George H. W. Bush's administration was found guilty of obstructing an independent counsel's corruption investigation and conspiring to conceal financial links with her former company. (LA Times)
Athletes
- Barry Bonds, 2011: Baseball legend was accused of lying under oath about using steroids, but the conviction was overturned in 2015. (ESPN/LA Times)
- Ray Lewis, 2000: Former football star pleaded guilty to misdemeanor obstruction of justice in a deal in which murder charges against him were dropped in exchange for his testimony against two friends. (CBS Sports).
- Marion Jones, 2008: Olympic track star was sentenced to six months in prison for lying about steroid use and obstructing an investigation. (CNN)
Celebrities
- Martha Stewart, 2004: Stewart was found guilty of obstruction of justice, among other charges, in an insider trading case and sentenced to five months in jail. (WSJ)
- Paris Hilton, 2010: Hilton lied about owning a purse that contained cocaine. She was arrested and tried in Las Vegas. (Fox)
- Enrique Iglesias, 2015: Miami police arrested the singer after he allegedly tried to switch seats to conceal the fact that he had been driving after being pulled over for using a closed lane. (Us Weekly)
