 The story broke in July 1872 , in the middle of the presidential campaign . Among those named were Vice President ( and former House Speaker ) Schuyler Colfax , Grant 's second @-@ term running mate ( Massachusetts Senator Henry Wilson ) , Speaker James G. Blaine of Maine , and Garfield . Greeley had little luck taking advantage of the scandal . When Congress reconvened after the election , Blaine , seeking to clear his name , demanded a House investigation . Evidence before the special committee exonerated Blaine . Garfield had stated , in September 1872 , that Ames had offered him stock , but he had repeatedly refused it . Testifying before the committee in January , Ames alleged that he had offered Garfield ten shares of stock at par value , but that Garfield had never taken the shares , or paid for them . A year had passed , from 1867 to 1868 , before Garfield had finally refused it . Garfield , appearing before the committee on January 14 , 1873 , confirmed much of this . Ames testified several weeks later that Garfield agreed to take the stock on credit , and that it was paid for by the company 's huge dividends . The two men differed over a sum of some $ 300 that Garfield received and later paid back , with Garfield deeming it a loan and Ames a dividend . 
