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While cheering crowds on election night can represent the
thrill of victory, two Utah congressmen remind us that politics
can also result in a crushing fall from grace.
In 1952 Doug Stringfellow was elected to Congress. . .based
in no small part on his claims of being a wounded war hero.
Midway through his two year term, it was discovered that Stringfellow
had lied about his military record. He resigned from office
in disgrace.
In 1976, Allan Howe was viewed as unbeatable as he prepared
for  re-election
to Congress. But Howe's political fortunes fell apart when
he was arrested for soliciting a police decoy prostitute in
Salt Lake City (as reported in the Salt Lake Tribune,
at right).
While neither incident related directly to performance in
office, both serve as powerful reminders of the expectations
we have of the character of elected officials.
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Doug
Stringfellow (pictured) resigned from Congress when the public
discovered he had lied about his military record.