This “Portraits in Oversight” video discusses one of the most infamous political scandals of the twentieth century, the Teapot Dome scandal. This episode highlights the oversight investigation conducted by Senator Thomas Walsh, whose relentless work exposed bribery and abuse of power by the Harding administration’s Secretary of the Interior, Albert Fall and his associates. Students will learn about the first time a cabinet secretary was convicted of a crime, and the importance of congressional oversight in holding government officials accountable and safeguarding public resources.

The “Portraits in Oversight” video series is a product of The Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy. The Center was established in 2015 to carry on the legislative oversight legacy and public vision of U.S. Senator Carl Levin. Our civic education program, Learning by Hearings, provides US History and Civics teachers with materials for inquiry lessons and in-class simulations, using noteworthy congressional investigations and hearings to bring to life principles of accountable governance and historic figures central to the development of our democracy. These FREE resources are made available through the support of the State of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Education and the work of Detroit PBS.