Teapot Dome Scandal
Historical eventAbout
The Teapot Dome Scandal was a significant political corruption scandal in the United States during the early 1920s. It involved the leasing of federal oil reserves at Teapot Dome in Wyoming and Elk Hills in California without competitive bidding. Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall secretly granted these leases to Harry F. Sinclair of Mammoth Oil and Edward L. Doheny of Pan American Petroleum. The leases were highly favorable to the oil companies, and Fall received substantial bribes in the form of cash and gifts. The scandal led to a major Senate investigation, revealing widespread corruption. Fall was convicted of bribery and became the first U.S. cabinet member to be imprisoned. Despite the acquittal of Sinclair and Doheny on bribery charges, the scandal severely damaged the reputation of the Harding administration. It resulted in significant legal reforms, including granting Congress subpoena power over tax records. The scandal remains a landmark case of government corruption in American history.
