Question

Which of the following statements described what happened during the Teapot scandal during Harding's administration? The president pardoned two convicted criminals right before he left office. Albert Fall gave oil drilling rights away in exchange for monetary gifts. His vice-president swindled the Security and Exchange Commission. It was discovered the Washington, D.C., political machine was corrupt.

Answer 1

The statement that best describes what happened during the Teapot scandal during Harding's administration would be that "Albert Fall gave oil drilling rights away in exchange for monetary gifts," since this didn't allow for fair competition to determine the price of the sale. 

Answer 2

Albert Fall gave oil drilling rights away in exchange for monetary gifts.

Albert Fall was the Secretary of the Interior under President Harding.

Albert Fall was in control of federal oil reserves in the US. He leased drilling rights to a company for the reserves in Wyoming. When the lease came under investigation by the Senate, it was discovered that Fall had received money in exchange for the monopoly drilling rights he granted the company. This was an abuse of power and led to the removal of Albert Fall. Harding was not implicated by the scandal but it left a mark on his presidency.