List of scandals with "-gate" suffix

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The suffix -gate derives from the Watergate scandal of the United States in the early 1970s, which resulted in the resignation of U.S. President Richard Nixon. The word "Watergate" is derived from the Watergate Complex, where the scandal started. Since the Watergate scandal, the media has on occasion referred to political scandals by adding the suffix "-gate" to one of the key words used to describe the scandal. This new label has sometimes stuck but often a new name is used.

On June 17, 1972 agents of the Nixon White House and the Nixon reelection campaign were arrested while breaking into the office of the Democratic National Committee, which at the time was located in the Watergate Complex (a combination of residences and offices located near the Potomac River) in Washington D.C. Over the course of the next two years, the scandal grew from what initially appeared to be a relatively small and inconsequential event to become one of the biggest political controversies in U.S. history.

Widely recognized scandals with a gate suffix

• Billygate — U.S. President Jimmy Carter's brother, Billy Carter, legally represented a Libyan terrorist Template:Cite news
• Chinagate (also "Campaign finance scandal"). Allegations that China illegally attempted to funnel campaign funds to the Democratic Party of the United States during the 1996 elections.
• Closetgate — Amid the Scientologist uproar following South Park's Trapped in the Closet, this term was coined in the Los Angeles Times to describe the controversy.
• Coingate — the mishandling of Ohio government funds entrusted to Republican operatives who were rare coin dealers.
• Filegate — The illegal possession and scrutiny of 300-900 FBI files by the Clinton Administration without the file's subject's permission.
• Irangate or Contragate — (Usually referred to as the Iran-Contra affair) — The United States sold weapons to Iran and diverted the proceeds to the Contra rebels in Nicaragua. Template:Cite news
• Katrinagate - used by people who disapproved of government response to Hurricane Katrina.
• Kremlingate (diversion of International Monetary Fund $4.8 billions funds to Russia by bank Menatep owned by Mikhail Khodorkovsky)
• Monicagate or Sexgate ("Zippergate", "the Lewinsky scandal") — named after Monica Lewinsky who had an "inappropriate relationship" with the then–US President, Bill Clinton.
• Muldergate — South African political scandal of the late 1970s in which funds were clandestinely diverted by defence minister Connie Mulder for overseas propaganda in support of the apartheid regime. The scandal brought about the downfall of BJ Vorster.
• Nipplegate — Justin Timberlake reveals Janet Jackson's nipple during the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXVIII. Called "teatgate" by Jon Stewart.
• Plamegate (also "Leakgate," Plame affair) — the revealing, by Robert Novak, of the name of Valerie Plame. Lewis Libby allegedly leaked to the media the identity of a covert CIA agent who worked on WMDs, in retaliation for her husband, Joseph C. Wilson, criticizing George W. Bush's justification for the invasion of Iraq. Critics of the investigation have referred to it as Nadagate.
• Rathergate (also "Memogate") — Faxed copies of unauthenticated memos, that were presented on 60 Minutes in 2004, claimed President George W. Bush was derelict in his duty in the Texas Air National Guard in 1972.
• Travelgate — Linked to Filegate, the firings and reinstatement of several people at the White House Travel Office. Template:Cite news
• Troopergate — the allegations by two Arkansas state troopers that they arranged sexual liaisons for then-governor Bill Clinton.
• Wiregate - the unfolding issue of whether George W. Bush broke the law in wiretapping phones without court orders.

Less well-known scandals with a gate suffix, or scandals that are in dispute of having a gate suffix

• Bananagate — 1975 scandal, in which Oswaldo López Arellano, President of Honduras, accepted a $1.2m bribe from US firm United Brands to halve the banana export levy
• Bingogate — the use of charity funds for political purposes by the ruling New Democratic Party in British ColumbiaCBC.
• Blobbygate — applied to a dispute between Noel Edmonds and Lancaster City Council over the failure of a theme park; refers to Mr. Blobby, an Edmonds character.
• Casinogate — indictment of sitting Premier of British Columbia in casino licensing influence case
• Camillagate — tape of a telephone conversation between Charles, Prince of Wales and Mrs. Camilla Parker-Bowlesscroll to 1992.
• Cheriegate — concerning Cherie Blair's association with Carole Caplin, and through her to the convicted fraudster Peter Foster.Template:Cite news
• Coingate — improper investment of Ohio state worker compensation money into rare coin funds Template:Cite news
• Cookiegate — 'Scandal' involving the improper use of browser cookies on internet users computers.
• Corngate — the accidental release of genetically modified corn in New Zealand. Template:Cite news
• Debategate — Carter's debate briefing books.
• Dianagate/Squidgygate — tape of a telephone conversation between Diana, Princess of Wales and a male friend.
• Donnygate — corruption amongst Doncaster councillors. Template:Cite news
• Enrongate — fraudulent accounting practices led the company to the largest bankruptcy suit in history.
• Fajitagate — In November of 2002, three off-duty San Francisco police officers allegedly assaulted two civilians over a bag of steak fajitas.
• Fettesgate, a major scandal concerning the Scottish police service in the 1990s, from Fettes HQ near Fettes College in Edinburgh.
• Fuddgate — alternate name given to the controversy surrounding Vice President Dick Cheney's shooting of Republican lawyer Harry Whittington during a quail-hunting trip in February 2006.
• Funeralgate is the name given to a scandal involving George W. Bush and family campaign contributor Robert Waltrip, owner of Service Corporation International, the largest funeral home company in the world.
• Gannongate — United States President George W. Bush's White House scandal involving free press conference passes for conservative James Dale Guckert under the false pseudonym Jeff Gannon Template:Cite news
• Garbagegate, a 2005 scandal in San Jose, California, involving Mayor Ron Gonzales, and a under-the-table deal with a garbage company.
• Gazzagate — Footballing scandal in 1998 involving footballer Paul Gascoigne's omission from the England squad for the forthcoming World Cup finals in France.
• Gloriagate Template:Cite news
• Gropegate — California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was alleged to have groped many women while working on movies.
• Hansiegate — cricket match-fixing scandal involving South African captain Hansie Cronje.
• Iraqgate — Where Finnish opposition leader Anneli Jäätteenmäki used state secrets against prime minister Paavo Lipponen during the parliamentary election campaign.
• Jowellgate — David Mills (lawyer), the husband of Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport received £340,000 from Silvio Berlusconi.
• Jueteng-gate — Scandal involving Philippine president Joseph Estrada alleging that he amassed millions of dollars from an illegal numbers game called jueteng. As a result, he was deposed through a popular uprising.
• Koreagate — South Korean businessman Tongsun Park's shady dealings with certain members of Congress (1976).Template:Cite news
• Lexusgate — Top financial officer of Hong Kong, Antony Leung purchased a Lexus right before a luxury car tax hike was announced. Template:Cite news
• Mabelgate — The fiancee of Prince Johan-Friso of Orange-Nassau, Mabel Wisse Smit turned out to had "superficial sailing contacts" with murdered drug lord Klaas Bruinsma. This was discovered by dutch magazine Quote. The princess still denies any loving or sexual relation with Bruinsma.
• Michaelgate — the supposed conspiracy against Michael Jackson that led to the 2005 trial of Michael Jackson. Was written about in a book by author Geraldine Hughes titled, "Michaelgate: The Conspiracy Theories".
• Nitrogate - refers to an incident one week before the 2004 election in the U. S. where a stash of explosives in Iraq was found to be missing, and George W. Bush was unable to explain what happened to them.
• Nannygate — a scandal involving British Cabinet memberDavid Blunkett fasttracking a green card for his family's nanny Template:Cite news
• Nannygate — noncitizen domestic help for U.S. attorney general nominees. Also the name of a scandal involving former New York City Police Chief Bernard Kerik
• Officegate — the investigation into Scottish First Minister Henry McLeish's decision to sub-let his constituency office (while still an MP), for which he was receiving full Westminster parliamentary expenses, without notifying Parliament, resulting in his resignation. Template:Cite news
• O'Learygate — a scandal involving the ruling New Democratic Party regarding a school superintendent who spent almost $2 million between 2002 and 2005 on a risky real estate development scheme in Manitoba.Template:Cite news
• Oilgate — the alleged use of PetroSA funds for African National Congress election campaigns Template:Cite news
• Orlengate — corruption scandal in Poland Template:Cite news
• Paksagate (Paksageitas) — Impeachment of president Rolandas Paksas of Lithuania
• Pardongate — President Clinton's presidential pardons Template:Cite news
• PEMEXGATE — scandal in Mexico dealing with funds from PEMEX the national oil company
• Peengate — the internet scandal in which nude pictures of Pete Wentz were released in the livejournal community OhNoTheyDidnt[1]

• Phonegate — used for multiple scandals: in Minnesota in the early 1990s, New Hampshire in 2002, and Macedonia in 2004
• Piñeragate, scandal in Chile involving secretly recorded phone calls to businessperson and politician Sebastián Piñera
• Pretzelgate — To explain a two-inch bruise on the face of U.S. President George W. Bush, he and his staff claim he hit his face on a coffee table after passing out because he choked on a pretzel. Some people felt the story was invented to cover-up the real cause of the bruise.
• Quailgate — Describes a scandal when U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shooting Harry Whittington during a quail hunt (see Dick Cheney hunting accident, February 2006).
• Rinkagate — the scandal surrounding the attempts to silence Norman Scott who said he had a sexual affair with Liberal party leader Jeremy Thorpe. In an apparent attempt to frighten him, Scott's dog Rinka was shot by a hitman.
• Rubbergate — alternate name for scandal in which members of the United States House of Representatives knowingly wrote overdrafts that were honored without penalty.
• Rywingate — a recent scandal in Poland, named after Lew Rywin who, on July 22, 2002, demanded a 17.5 million USD bribe from Adam Michnik (Gazeta Wyborcza) claiming that he was sent by the then Prime Minister of Poland, Leszek Miller.
• Sharongate — the fictional scandal on television's EastEnders relating to the love triangle between Grant, Sharon, and Phil. BBC
• Shawinigate — scandal over former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's alleged conflict-of-interest in real estate in his riding.
• Shot in the Face Gate Alternate name given to the controversy surrounding Vice President Dick Cheney's shooting of Republican lawyer Harry Whittington during a quail-hunting trip in February 2006 and the suspected cover up.
• Skategate — the scandal over the pairs figure skating results of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where a judge was apparently bribed to fix the outcome. The case went on for nearly two weeks before joint gold medals were granted.
• Sponsorgate — The Canadian sponsorship scandal.
• Squatgate — Malaysian lock-up detainee abuse scandal.
• Squidgygate
• Stormontgate — scandal involving an alleged Provisional IRA spy ring in Parliament Buildings, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
• Strippergate — Seattle City Council members Heidi Wills and Judy Nicastro vote for rezoning a strip club parking lot in exchange for unethical donations. Template:Cite news
• Strippergate — A scandal in Canada in 2004 with the Minister of Immigration Judy Sgro accused of granting a visa to a Romanian exotic dancer who worked for her campaign during the 2004 federal election.
• Strippergate — San Diego City Council Members Michael Zucchet and Ralph Inzunza are, in 2005, convicted of accepting bribes from a strip club owner in a scheme to get the "no-touch" laws in San Diegan strip clubs repealed. The case was referred to with this name by at least one local television news station in San Diego.
• Svengate Template:Cite news
• Tapegate — A Canadian scandal in which Conservative Member of Parliament Gurmant Grewal taped conversations with High Profile Liberals. Template:Cite news
• Taxigate, a long-running dispute over receipts from taxi journeys which resulted in the resignation of the Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, David McLetchie, in 2005
• Toallagate — A scandal involving the cost of towels in the official residence of Mexican president Vicente Fox.
• Travelgate — Template:Cite news
• Tunagate — In 1985, a Canadian minister ordered the selling of tuna ruled unfit for consumption.
• Whitewatergate — In 1994, President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary were charged with covering up shady investments.
• Wikigate — candidates editing wikipedia for political gain e.g. (The Scotsman)
• Vodafonegate — Political scandal in Greece concerning Vodafone Greece.
• Votergate — Documentary Film which explores questions of alleged fraud, lack of accountability, disenfranchisement, lack of transparency, as well as other voting irregularities in the November 2nd, 2004 United States Presidential Election.
• Yellowcakegate — Crudely forged documents intended to implicate Iraq in developing nuclear weapons were used by the U.S. government to justify the 2003 invasion of Iraq.