President Warren G. Harding was known as a likable man with a fatal flaw—his disastrous choice of friends. Behind the charm and genial demeanor lay a presidency that would become forever tainted by one of the most notorious scandals in American history: the Teapot Dome Scandal. While Harding himself was never directly implicated, the web of corruption spun by those closest to him would unravel his administration and redefine political betrayal.
It wasn’t just one scandal but a cascade of them. Attorney General Harry Daugherty, Harding’s longtime campaign manager, was accused of illegally selling government supplies of alcohol during Prohibition. Charles R. Forbes, head of the Veterans Bureau, was convicted on bribery and corruption charges. But the darkest shadow was cast by Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall, whose actions would go down in history as the epitome of government corruption.
Fall convinced Harding to transfer control of two massive oil reserves—Elk Hills in California and Teapot Dome near Casper, Wyoming—from the U.S. Navy to the Department of the Interior. Then, in a move that stunned the nation, he secretly leased these oil-rich lands to private oil tycoons without competitive bidding. Edward L. Doheny of the Pan American Petroleum Company and Harry F. Sinclair of Mammoth Oil secured the leases in a deal that reeked of backroom bargains and betrayal.
The scandal broke wide open during congressional investigations, which revealed that Fall had pocketed as much as $400,000 in payments and loans—a bribe disguised as a loan to smooth over the dirty deals. The fallout was swift and brutal: the leases were terminated by Congress, Fall was convicted of accepting bribes, and he earned the dubious distinction of being the first sitting cabinet member ever imprisoned.
As the truth emerged, the stress took a heavy toll on Harding’s health. In 1923, before he could face the full consequences of the scandal engulfing his administration, Harding died in office—leaving behind a legacy forever stained by the greed and betrayal of those he trusted most. The Teapot Dome Scandal remains a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked power and the true cost of loyalty given to the wrong people.
