Stepping Out: High Profile Sex Scandals

Sex scandals caused the downfall of many public leaders.

David Petraeus  - David Petraeus is just the latest high profile figure to resign or be fired in the wake of a sex scandal. – Britt Middleton Last week, the retired four-star general, who led the U.S. military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, resigned from his post as director of the Central Intelligence Agency after admitting to having an extramarital affair. His paramour has been identified as his biographer Paula Broadwell, who is also married with two children. (Photo: UPI/ISAF /LANDOV)

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David Petraeus  - David Petraeus is just the latest high profile figure to resign or be fired in the wake of a sex scandal. – Britt Middleton Last week, the retired four-star general, who led the U.S. military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, resigned from his post as director of the Central Intelligence Agency after admitting to having an extramarital affair. His paramour has been identified as his biographer Paula Broadwell, who is also married with two children. (Photo: UPI/ISAF /LANDOV)

Christopher Kubasik  - Lockheed Martin asked incoming CEO Christopher Kubasik to resign on Friday after an ethics investigation found that he had an improper relationship with a female subordinate. (Photo: AP Photo)

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Christopher Kubasik  - Lockheed Martin asked incoming CEO Christopher Kubasik to resign on Friday after an ethics investigation found that he had an improper relationship with a female subordinate. (Photo: AP Photo)

FBI Enters Detroit Shooting Investigation - The case of 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones, killed in her own home on May 16 by a police officer looking for a homicide suspect, has gone under investigation by the FBI. House Democrat Rep. John Conyers called for the Bureau to further review the incident, as he felt the evidence didn’t add up. According to the Detroit police officer, a woman grabbed his gun, causing it to fire.

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Ralph Godbee - Former Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee announced his retirement in October following the revelation that he had an sexual relationship with a female subordinate. As the scandal unfolded, the woman posted a photo of herself with her gun in her mouth on Twitter after she found out Godbee attended a work function with another woman. (Photo: Robin Buckson / The Detroit News)

Bobby Petrino - Following four seasons as the head football coach of the University of Arkansas, Bobby Petrino was fired last year for not being completely honest about his relationship with a female student. Petrino got a second chance in December when Western Kentucky hired him as their new head coach.(Photo: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

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Bobby Petrino - Former Univ. of Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino was involved in a motorcycle accident with his mistress, also an employee of the university, that eventually blew the whistle on his infidelity. The married father of four was fired just days later. (Photo: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Anthony Weiner  - Former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner used his public Twitter account to send a picture of his unmentionables to a 21-year-old female college student. He resigned from Congress in June 2011. (Photo: Elsa/Getty Images)

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Anthony Weiner  - Former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner used his public Twitter account to send a picture of his unmentionables to a 21-year-old female college student. He resigned from Congress in June 2011. (Photo: Elsa/Getty Images)

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Mark Sanford  - Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford went missing in June 2009, but in reality the married father of four had run off to Argentina to be with his mistress. Sanford resigned as chairman of the Republican Governors Association that month, but finished his final term as governor in 2011. (Photo: Davis Turner/Getty Images)

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Mark Sanford  - Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford went missing in June 2009, but in reality the married father of four had run off to Argentina to be with his mistress. Sanford resigned as chairman of the Republican Governors Association that month, but finished his final term as governor in 2011. (Photo: Davis Turner/Getty Images)

Eliot Spitzer - Eliot Spitzer stepped down in 2008 as governor of New York after the humiliating disclosure of his penchant for the services of high-priced prostitutes. He has since worked as a host on CNN and Current TV, and written some columns for Slate. Seeing how relatively well things are going for Weiner's mayoral bid, Spitzer is also seeking a political comeback as the state's comptroller.  (Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

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Eliot Spitzer - Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who was a rising star in the Democratic Party, resigned from office in disgrace in March 2008 after it was a discovered he was a regular client of a high-profile prostitution ring.  (Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

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Kwame Kilpatrick - Disgraced Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's political downfall was triggered in 2008 after the discovery of thousands of text messages revealed his sexual relationship with his then-Chief of Staff Christine Beatty, as well as an improper use of the city's funds. The scandal led to his resignation in 2008 and jail time after he was convicted on obstruction charges. (Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Dana Chatman - Onetime Louisiana State University women's basketball coach Dana Chatman was asked to resign in March 2007 after an assistant coach accused her of being involved with a former player. Chatman denied those allegations and later sued the school for damages and received a $160,000 settlement. (Photo: Elsa/Getty Images)

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Dana Chatman - Onetime Louisiana State University women's basketball coach Dana Chatman was asked to resign in March 2007 after an assistant coach accused her of being involved with a former player. Chatman denied those allegations and later sued the school for damages and received a $160,000 settlement. (Photo: Elsa/Getty Images)