Harry M. Daugherty

Harry M. Daugherty was an American politician and lawyer who served as the United States Attorney General under Presidents Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge. A powerful figure in Ohio Republican politics, he is best known for his central role in managing Harding's successful 1920 presidential campaign and for the subsequent scandals that plagued his tenure at the Department of Justice. His career was permanently marred by his association with the Teapot Dome scandal and other controversies of the Harding administration, leading to his resignation and two criminal trials.

Early life and career

Born in Washington Court House, Ohio, Daugherty attended the University of Michigan but left without a degree to study law. He was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1881 and established a successful legal practice in his hometown. Entering politics, he served two terms in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1890 to 1894, where he developed a reputation as a shrewd political operator and organizer. He managed several campaigns for Ohio Republicans, including that of Myron T. Herrick for Governor of Ohio, and became a key figure in the state's political machine. Daugherty first met Warren G. Harding, then a newspaper publisher in Marion, Ohio, around 1899, recognizing his potential as a candidate with a pleasing personality suited for higher office.

Harding administration

As Harding's closest political advisor, Daugherty orchestrated the strategy that secured the Republican presidential nomination for Harding at the 1920 Republican National Convention in Chicago, famously predicting the convention would deadlock and select his candidate in a "smoke-filled room." Following Harding's victory in the 1920 United States presidential election, Daugherty was appointed United States Attorney General despite concerns over his ethics and lack of federal experience. His tenure was controversial from the outset, marked by allegations that he used his office to obstruct justice and protect political allies. He was a central figure in several early scandals, including the fraudulent handling of assets from the Allen Property Custodian and accusations of selling influence and pardons. Daugherty maintained a close relationship with Harding and was a frequent participant in the poker games and informal gatherings at the White House.

Teapot Dome and later years

Following Harding's sudden death in August 1923, investigations into administration corruption intensified under President Calvin Coolidge. Daugherty became a primary target of a United States Senate investigation led by Montana Senator Burton K. Wheeler into the Teapot Dome scandal and the affairs of the Justice Department. The inquiry focused on Daugherty's relationship with his chief aide, Jess Smith, and their connections to figures like Albert B. Fall and Harry F. Sinclair. Although never convicted for his role in Teapot Dome, Daugherty was tried twice in 1926 and 1927 for conspiracy to defraud the United States government in the Allen Property Custodian case; both trials ended in hung juries. He resigned as Attorney General on March 28, 1924, under intense pressure from Coolidge and public opinion. He returned to Columbus, Ohio, to practice law but remained a symbol of the corruption of the era.

Death and legacy

Daugherty lived in relative obscurity after his trials, authoring a book, *The Inside Story of the Harding Tragedy*, in 1932. He died of heart failure in Columbus, Ohio on October 12, 1941. His legacy is overwhelmingly defined by the scandals of the Harding era, particularly his perceived manipulation of the Department of Justice for political and personal gain. Historians often cite his career as a prime example of the "Ohio Gang" and the cronyism that characterized early 1920s Washington. While he was a skilled political strategist responsible for Harding's rise, his tenure as Attorney General is remembered as one of the most corrupt in American history, contributing significantly to the negative historical assessment of the Harding administration.

Category:1860 births Category:1941 deaths Category:United States Attorneys General Category:Ohio Republicans Category:People from Fayette County, Ohio