Disgraced political figure Henry Cisneros

An accomplished fellow, Henry Cisneros had become the first Hispanic man to be elected mayor of a big American city (San Antonio, TX, in 1981) and from 1993 to 1997 was Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Bill Clinton.

His well meant involvement in changing mortgage rules to help more low-income people achieve the "American dream" of home ownership later turned into the nightmare that helped bring on our nation's present recession.

Cisneros had to resign in 1997 due to money he had paid the woman with whom he had been involved in an extramarital affair, Linda Medlar.

As is usual with prominent politicians, he failed to come clean under questioning and in 1997, was hit with a variety of charges, including giving false statements.

Cisneros was allowed a plea agreement and got off with a small fine. Finally, in 2001,he was the grateful recipient of one of Bill Clinton's many presidential pardons.