Alexander Hamilton (F), Secretary of the Treasury, had an affair with Maria Reynolds while both were married to other people (see Hamilton-Reynolds sex scandal). Reynolds' husband blackmailed Hamilton who paid to maintain secrecy. In 1797, when Hamilton no longer held the post of Treasury Secretary, the affair was publicized by journalist James Callender, after which Hamilton publicly apologized. Said Hamilton: "This confession is not made without a blush....I can never cease to condemn myself for the pang which it may inflict in a bosom eminently entitled to all my gratitude, fidelity, and love." (1796)

Thomas Jefferson (DR-VA), President, was publicly accused of fathering the children of his slave Sally Hemings, by journalist James Callender (who had also publicized Alexander Hamilton's affair) in the Jefferson–Hemings controversy. Hemings was the half-sister of Jefferson's late wife Martha, and based partly upon DNA evidence there is now a scholarly consensus that either a relative of Thomas Jefferson or Thomas Jefferson himself fathered several of Sally Hemings' children. In January 2000, a Thomas Jefferson Foundation research committee concluded that all the known evidence indicated with high probability that Thomas Jefferson was the father of Eston Hemings, and that he was also likely the father of all six of Sally Hemings's children listed in Monticello records. A later report from a Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society committee differed and came to the conclusion that "Randolph" (presumably Thomas Jefferson Randolph, Jefferson's grandson; he was known to have been invited to visit Monticello around the time of Estons' conception, but no record of an actual visit has been found) is more likely the father, or possibly that one of Jefferson's Carr nephews is the father.(1802)

The Boston Globe is reporting that four men are accusing the husband of Massachusetts Senate President Stan Rosenberg of sexual misconduct.

The newspaper said four men with ties to the State House allege that Bryon Hefner sexually assaulted and harassed them in recent years. Three said Hefner grabbed their genitals and one said Hefner kissed him against his will. The Globe said it has found no evidence that Rosenberg knew about any of the incidents.

The men - who were not identified by the Globe - said they were hesitant to report the assaults because of Rosenberg's influence on Beacon Hill.

Rosenberg, a Democrat from Amherst, has been Senate president since 2015 and has served in the Legislature for 30 years.

In statements issued Thursday, both Hefner and Rosenberg said they were shocked by the allegations.

Hefner said no one has complained to him or any other government authority about the allegations. He said it is "incredibly difficult" to respond to allegations by unnamed individuals.

"This is the first I have heard about these claims," Rosenberg said. "Even though, based on what little I have been told, these allegations do not involve members or employees of the Senate and did not occur in the State House, I take them seriously. To the best of my recollection I was not approached by anyone with complaints during or after the alleged incidents made in this article or I would have tried to intervene."