Whether it's allegations of bribery, conspiracy, rape, wire fraud, or other serious charges, many U.S. politicians seem to beat their charges and avoid federal convictions. Many people speculate that politicians simply pay off people in the legal system, and while that may be true in some cases, there’s another explanation: they pay well for a highly-skilled lawyer.

The lawyers politicians hire aren’t typical

It takes an exceptional attorney to get a politician out of serious charges, especially when it seems like there’s a lot of evidence against them. However, the lawyers politicians hire aren’t just regular lawyers with a strong track record for winning; they’re powerhouses who often have backgrounds in government positions as federal agents and Justice Department officials.

For example, Attorney Nick Oberheiden and his legal team have experience working for the FBI, DEA, Homeland Security, HHS-OIG, and the Secret Service. This type of experience gives them an incredible advantage in the courtroom.

That’s not to say that corruption doesn’t exist. However, the attorneys politicians hire tend to be more forceful, and they know exactly how to get what they want. Below, let’s look at some of the politicians who have escaped serious charges over the years, while keeping in mind that they may have just had a really good lawyer.

Donald Trump got partial immunity

We’ll start with Donald Trump, since he’s currently running for president (again) and seems to always be in the news. In July 2024, the Supreme Court granted Trump immunity for some of his conduct in the case filed against him for interfering with a federal election.

It’s not a complete win, but it is a big deal. All the charges against him for trying to overturn the 2020 election are not being dismissed, but some of his actions can’t be questioned. This ruling has been highly controversial, and it wouldn’t have happened without an incredibly good lawyer.

Bill Clinton’s 1998 sexual harassment lawsuit was settled

After Paula Jones sued Bill Clinton for sexual harassment, the lawsuit settled for $850,000. However, Jones didn’t see much of that payment, since most of it went to her attorneys. Clinton’s attorney said the suit was settled to get it over with and that the claims were baseless. However, Jones’ account isn’t that far-fetched. She claimed that when Clinton was still the governor of Arkansas, she was working as a state employee and was escorted to his room, where he exposed himself to her and propositioned her.

That’s not the most interesting part of the story. While being deposed in the Jones suit, Clinton said he had never had sexual relations with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Later, during his impeachment proceedings, he was accused of lying under oath, as evidence surfaced that confirmed he and Lewinsky had been sexual with each other. However, Clinton was later acquitted in a Senate trial before completing his term in office.

Obama won the lawsuit filed by an immigration officer

An immigration officer sued President Barack Obama, claiming his new immigration policies forced him to violate the law. However, in 2014, a federal judge dismissed the case. Under Obama’s executive order, nearly five million illegal immigrants were granted permission to stay in the country and receive a work permit if they had lived in the U.S. for at least five years, and have children who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

The order also allowed illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S. if they were brought over at a young age. The argument was that these policies should be enacted by Congress, not the president, but the judge disagreed and dismissed the case.

Andrew Johnson was acquitted after his impeachment

Despite the Tenure of Office Act prohibiting the president from firing cabinet members, in 1868, President Andrew Johnson did it anyway. He was subsequently impeached by the House of Representatives, but fell one vote short of a conviction in the Senate and was therefore acquitted. While this example is far back in history, and it’s not clear whether or not Johnson had a lawyer, he clearly defied the law intentionally and got away with it.

Politicians know how to work the system

Whether through bribery or just having an amazing lawyer, politicians know how to work the system to get what they want. While it doesn’t always work out in their favor, they often avoid serious federal charges.

Image: AT via Magic Studio