Teapot Dome Scandal

         The Teapot Dome is a Wyoming rock formation in the shape of a teapot near a oil reserve. The Teapot Dome Scandal was when Albert B. Fall, the Secretary of Interior of President Warren. G. Harding's cabinet, was bribed and gave out lands to private companies illegally. The companies were headed by Edward Doheny and Harry Sinclair. Both paid Fall to allow them to drill into naval petroleum reserves. Harding allowed Fall to oversee and protect the Teapot Dome oil field. The bribe was 100,000 dollars, and though the reserves were only for emergency use, the bribe was too good to pass up.

          Another oilman, Leslie Miller, saw Sinclair trucks coming out of the reserve and asked for an investigation into Sinclair. The investigation was turned over the the Senate investigation committee, which found Fall guilty of accepting bribes. Fall became the first Cabinet officer to be sent to federal prison on crimes serving in office. President Harding died in between the start of the investigation and conviction, so some speculate that he could have died at the perfect moment, as he may be impeached for his potential role in the scandal.

         Sinclair and Doheny were found not guilty of bribing Fall, but Sinclair was found in contempt of Congress and for sending a team to stalk the jury members, which he received 9 months in prison. Fall was sentenced to one year and was released in 9 months as well. Harding's Cabinet shows his poor selection of Cabinet officers, and it paid dearly, though he would not live to see it.

          The Teapot Dome Scandal was the worst scandal in US history until the even more infamous Watergate Scandal by Richard Nixon.

Sources:
http://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/teapot-dome-scandal
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cabinet-member-guilty-in-teapot-dome-scandal