After attending Vassar and American University Law School, he spent five years as a prosecutor, then jumped into politics--first as a county legislator, then, in 1992, in a race against Congressman Tom Downey, a Democrat who had represented the district for 18 years.

CNN: Rudy's soulful exit

Then came the leaking of a video showing the spy chief bribing an opposition legislator to switch sides.

ECONOMIST: Peru: The future without Fujimori | The

Lee's army was on the march north to the fateful battle of Gettysburg, President Lincoln wrote a letter commenting on the arrest of a leading Confederate sympathizer legislator (or "Copperheads" as they were then known), U.S. Rep. Clement L. Valladigham (Democrat of Ohio).

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Treacherous "Agitation"

More alarming is Liu Tai-ying, a legislator and presidential adviser, who has said that if China attacks, then Taiwan should fire missiles into the sea near Hong Kong, to spark a panic in China's financial centre.

ECONOMIST: Taiwan��s high-stakes game