Why did Warren Harding not stop the scandal at its beginning?

Warren Harding didn’t care to get involved in the scandal and other scandals that occurred during his administration, but which were completely exposed after his death.

Investigations revealed that he knew about the scandal, but didn’t make any effort to expose and stop it because he was afraid it could affect his position as president.

Warren Harding’s reputation as president was tarnished because he put a lot of wrong people in positions of power. The members of Harding’s cabinet—known as the “Ohio Gang”—had many substantial allegations of corruption leveled against them.

At a certain time, worried president Harding informed a newspaper editor, William Allen White that, although he (Harding) could easily handle his enemies, he had problem handling his friends.

There is another incident which strongly supports the notion that Warren Harding didn’t care to get involved in the scandal: In June, 1923, while Harding was making a presidential visit to Alaska, he asked the Commerce Secretary at the time (Herbert Hoover), if he was aware of any great scandal in their administration, and whether the nation would benefit anything if he exposes, or buries it.

Hoover responded by advising the president (Harding) to expose any scandal, but Harding refused to do so because he was afraid of political repercussions.

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