The Harding PresidencyTEAPOT DOME SCANDAL

Warren G. Harding Elected in 1920 Answer to post-war economic problems – “Less government in business and more business in government” Lowered taxes on wealthy

◦ Why?

Harding’s Presidency Some say Harding lacked governing skills Surrounded himself with extremely talented cabinet Treasury of Secretary: Andrew Mellon (multimillionaire businessman) Secretary of State: Charles Evans Hughes (1916 presidential candidate, lost to Wilson) Commerce Secretary: Herbert Hoover (future president)

Successes in Office Kellog-Briand Pact: Renounced war as a means of national policy◦Signed by 15 nations, but very difficult to enforce

Dawes Plan and Young Plan◦Helped solve post-war debt problem by aiding Germany

Scandal Hits the White House Although he had a very skilled cabinet, Harding used the spoils system to appoint old friends from Ohio to lower-level government posts Members of this “Ohio Gang” were convicted of taking bribes Worst scandal was involved Secretary of Interior Albert Fall

Teapot Dome Scandal: 1921 - 1924

Government set aside oil-rich public land in Teapot, Wyoming

Albert Fall secretly leased the land to two oil companies

Fall received $400,000 from the oil companies and a felony conviction from the courts◦First Cabinet member to go to prison