List of scandals with "-gate" suffix

This is a list of scandals or controversies named with a "-gate" suffix, by analogy with the Watergate scandal.[1]

Contents

Etymology, usage, and history of -gate

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 scandal was named after the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C.; the complex itself was named after the "Water Gate" area where symphony orchestra concerts were staged on the Potomac River between 1935 and 1965.[2]

The suffix is used to embellish a noun or name to suggest the existence of a far-reaching scandal, particularly in politics and government. As a CBC News Online column noted in 2001, the term may "suggest unethical behaviour and a cover-up".[3] The same usage has spread into languages other than English; examples of -gate being used to refer to local political scandals have been reported from Argentina, Germany, Hungary, Greece and the former Yugoslavia.[4] Such usages have been criticised by commentators as clichéd and misleading; James Stanyer comments that "revelations are given the 'gate' suffix to add a thin veil of credibility, following 'Watergate', but most bear no resemblance to the painstaking investigation of that particular piece of presidential corruption."[5] Stanyer links the widespread use of -gate to what the sociologist John Thompson calls "scandal syndrome":

[A] self-reproducing and self-reinforcing process, driven on by competitive and combative struggles in the media and political fields and giving rise to more and more scandals which increasingly become the focus of mediated forms of public debate, marginalizing or displacing other issues and producing on occasion a climate of political crisis which can debilitate or even paralyse a government.[6]

The adoption of -gate to suggest the existence of a scandal was promoted by William Safire, the conservative New York Times columnist and former Nixon administration speechwriter. As early as September 1974 he wrote of "Vietgate", a proposed pardon of the Watergate criminals and Vietnam War draft dodgers.[7] Subsequently he coined numerous -gate terms, including Billygate, Briefingate, Contragate, Deavergate, Debategate, Doublebillingsgate (of which he later said "My best [-gate coinage] was the encapsulation of a minor ... scandal as doublebillingsgate"), Frankiegate, Franklingate, Genschergate, Housegate, Iraqgate, Koreagate, Lancegate, Maggiegate, Nannygate, Raidergate, Scalpgate, Travelgate, Troopergate and Whitewatergate. The New York magazine suggested that his aim in doing so was "rehabilitating Nixon by relentlessly tarring his successors with the same rhetorical brush – diminished guilt by association."[8] Safire himself later admitted to author Eric Alterman that, as Alterman puts it, "psychologically, he may have been seeking to minimize the relative importance of the crimes committed by his former boss with this silliness."[9]

Widely recognized scandals

Arts and entertainment

Journalism and Academics

Politics

Other scandals

Arts and entertainment

Journalism and Academics

Politics

Sports

Technology

Fictional scandals

References

  1. ^ "-gate, suffix", Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, http://dictionary.oed.com/ 
  2. ^ John Kelly (13 December 2004). "Answer Man: A Gate to Summers Past". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 18 September 2009. http://www.webcitation.org/5jsdEHs1g. Retrieved 18 September 2009. 
  3. ^ Partridge, Eric (2006). The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English: A-I. Taylor & Francis. p. 844. ISBN 9780415259378. 
  4. ^ Spencer, Andrew; Zwicky, Arnold M. (2001). The handbook of morphology. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 361. ISBN 9780631226949. 
  5. ^ Stanyer, James (2007). Modern political communication: mediated politics in uncertain times. Polity. p. 59. ISBN 9780745627977. 
  6. ^ Thompson, John (2000). Political scandal: power and visibility in the media age. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 265. ISBN 9780745625508. 
  7. ^ Schudson, Michael (1993). Watergate in American memory: how we remember, forget, and reconstruct the past. Basic Books. p. 151. ISBN 9780465090839. 
  8. ^ Cohen, Noam (5 February 1996). "The Smoking Lexicon". New York Magazine: p. 13. 
  9. ^ Alterman, Eric (1999). Sound and fury: the making of the punditocracy. Cornell University Press. p. 79. ISBN 9780801486395. 
  10. ^ Wayne Glowka, 2004 Words of the Year Nominations, American Dialect Society
  11. ^ Jackson 'Nipplegate' illustrates the danger of chilling free speech, Julie Hilden, Findlaw columnist, CNN.com, 20 February 2004
  12. ^ http://www.virginmedia.com/tvradio/realitytv/celebrity-big-brother-2009/most-controversial-celeb-bb-moments.php
  13. ^ http://www.artisanmc.co.uk/2007/01/18/shilpagate-pr-disaster-for-the-uk/
  14. ^ a b US red faced as 'cablegate' sparks global diplomatic crisis, courtesy of WikiLeaks Dylan Welch, Sydney Morning Herald, 29 November 2010
  15. ^ "'Filegate' Depositions Sought From White House Aides", CNN, 1 April 1998. Accessed 5 June 2007.
  16. ^ "1989: Irangate colonel avoids prison". St Louis Post-Dispatch. 5 July 1989. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/5/newsid_2772000/2772471.stm. 
  17. ^ Scandal Bust: Why Clinton won Monicagate, William Saletan, 7 Dec 1998, National Review
  18. ^ Plamegate Turns D.C. Upside Down, Dotty Lynch, Senior Political Editor, CBS News, 14 July 2005
  19. ^ Untangling Whitewater, Washington Post special report, 'The firing of seven members of the White House travel office in 1993, possibly to make room for Clinton friends – Followed by an FBI investigation of the office, allegedly opened under pressure from the White House to justify the firings. Sometimes called "Travelgate."'
  20. ^ Clintons prepare for `Whitewatergate' day of humiliation, Rupert Cornwell, The Independent, 7 March 1994,
  21. ^ Collins, Scott (18 March 2006). "Clamor outside `South Park' closet". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2006/mar/18/entertainment/et-channel18. Retrieved 8 December 2009. 
  22. ^ http://www.peterwilkinson.karoo.net/quotesarchiveaugust6.htm
  23. ^ Lord, Miriam (26 March 2009). "No losing sight of the big picture as Portraitgate rumbles on". The Irish Times: p. 10. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0326/1224243452282.html. Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  24. ^ Hand, Lise (1 April 2009). "Portraitgate: just who called who is finally laid bare". Irish Independent: p. 18. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/portraitgate-just-who-called-who--is-finally-laid-bare-1693308.html. Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  25. ^ Coyle, Colin (29 March 2009). "RTÉ’s ‘Portrait-gate’ apology reopens self-censorship debate". The Times (UK). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article5993135.ece. Retrieved 1 April 2009. 
  26. ^ "'Termination from Gamespot", Wikipedia.com, Accessed 3 March 2009.
  27. ^ "'Question of Credibility", Wikipedia.com, Accessed 3 March 2009
  28. ^ Reutersgate strikes other news outlets, 11 August 2006, Jerusalem Post
  29. ^ http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/24203
  30. ^ BANDARGATE!, Gulf Daily News, 24 September 2006
  31. ^ Barkhagate in Wikipedia
  32. ^ With hunted eyes, Dr Bertiegate rumbles on, Irish Independent, 6 October 2006
  33. ^ "Q&A: Duncan Smith complaints". BBC News. 29 March 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3193290.stm. Retrieved 8 May 2010. 
  34. ^ Hyde, Marina (28 April 2010), "Gordon Brown 'bigotgate' shows media-industrial complex at its best", The Guardian (UK), http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/apr/28/gordon-brown-bigotgate-marina-hyde, retrieved 8 May 2010 
  35. ^ Michael Savage (30 April 2010), "The spin doctors were only talking about one story. And it wasn't the deficit", The Independent (UK), http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/michael-savage-the-spin-doctors-were-only-talking-about-one-story-and-it-wasnt-the-deficit-1958809.html, "become known as "bigotgate"" 
  36. ^ "Billygate – 1980". The Washington Post. 21 July 1998. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/frenzy/billy.htm. 
  37. ^ "Harcourt cleared of any Bingogate wrongdoing". CBC News. 1 September 1999. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/1999/09/01/harcourt990901.html. Retrieved 27 June 2008. 
  38. ^ Lews, Jason (18 October 2009). "Biscuitgate: After 24 hours of dithering Gordon Brown finally confesses his favourite dunk". Daily Mail (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1221180/Biscuitgate-After-24-hours-dithering-Gordon-Brown-finally-confesses-favourite-dunk.html. Retrieved 7 January 2011. 
  39. ^ Miriam Lord (20 February 2010). "Miriam Lord's Week". The Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0220/1224264880116.html. Retrieved 20 February 2010. "As the Brothelgate crisis deepened, members of the parliamentary party scrambled to see if Willie O’Dea’s promised vindication would be contained in the pages of the paper’s country edition." 
  40. ^ Timeline: Charles and Camilla's romance, BBC News, "1992 Nov: Charles is rocked by the Camillagate tapes."
  41. ^ Peev, Gerri (18 June 2005). "Curse of 'Cheriegate' strikes again". The Scotsman (Edinburgh). http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Curse-of-Cheriegate-strikes-again.2636230.jp. 
  42. ^ "Gov. Taft sued over 'Coingate' scandal". WKYC. 6 July 2005. http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_fullstory.asp?id=37541. 
  43. ^ ""Corngate" could leave nasty taste". TVNZ. 12 July 2002. http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/425825/115681. Retrieved 27 June 2008. 
  44. ^ "UK Donnygate councillor jailed". BBC News. 22 July 1998. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/137447.stm. Retrieved 28 February 2009. 
  45. ^ Miklós Kontra: Hungarians Turned Gateniks in 1990. American Speech, Vol. 67, No. 2 (Summer, 1992), pp. 216–222
  46. ^ website of the Hungarian Secret Service (retrieved 2010-4-30)
  47. ^ Fenton, Ben (17 February 2007). "Guernsey gripped by fall-out from Fallagate". The Daily Telegraph (UK). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1542928/Guernsey-gripped-by-fall-out-from-Fallagate.html. Retrieved 17 June 2008. 
  48. ^ New chapter opens in Fajitagate case, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 February 2008
  49. ^ Finnish PM under fire over leaked documents, ft.com, 18 Jun 2003, "Ms Jäätteenmäki, who has only held the position for two months, has been plagued by the scandal, known in Finland as Iraqgate."
  50. ^ Profile: President Nazarbayev, Al Jazeera, 'Nazarbayev spoke publicly about the case – dubbed Kazakhgate – only once, and dismissed allegations of his involvement as "insinuations and a provocation".'
  51. ^ Muldergate: The Story of the Info. Scandal, by Mervyn Rees and Chris Day, ISBN 978-0-86954-089-3
  52. ^ Panetta, Alexander (5 March 2008). "'NAFTAgate' began with remark from Harper's chief of staff". The Globe and Mail (Toronto). http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080305.wharpleak0305/BNStory/National/home. 
  53. ^ How the Officegate saga unfolded, Miranda Hurst 8 November 2001, BBC News
  54. ^ Monnett, Charles; Gleason, Jeffrey S. (July 2006). "Observations of mortality associated with extended open-water swimming by polar bears in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea". Polar Biology (Berlin: Springer) 29 (8): pp. 681–687. doi:10.1007/s00300-005-0105-2. 
  55. ^ Greenfieldboyce, Nell (10 August 2011). Polar Bear Scientist Faces New Questions, NPR, 10 August 2011
  56. ^ The Legislature Raids: Railgate, A to Z , Bill Tieleman, The Tyee, 24 January 2009
  57. ^ Rinkagate: Rise and Fall of Jeremy Thorpe by Simon Freeman and Barrie Penrose, ISBN 978-0-7475-3339-9
  58. ^ Paper ordered to surrender 'Shawinigate' documents, CTV News, updated 29 February 2008
  59. ^ Diana's Squidgygate tapes 'leaked by GCHQ', Daily Telegraph, last updated 2:46 am GMT 11/01/2008
  60. ^ DUP chase 'Stormontgate' answers, BBC News, 10 December 2005
  61. ^ a b Phillips, Kate (21 October 2008). "P.S.Palin Apologizes". New York Times. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/21/ps-palin-apologizes/#more-6743. Retrieved 23 October 2008. 
  62. ^ El 'toallagate' como modelo de lucha anticorrupción, RIDHUALC, 25 Juny 2001
  63. ^ Continúan en Los Pinos implicados en 'toallagate', esmas.com, 10 July 2001
  64. ^ Barnes, Eddie; MacLeod, Murdo (19 June 2005). "Taxigate: McLetchie bill hits £10K". The Scotsman (Edinburgh). http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Taxigate-McLetchie-bill-hits-10K.2636355.jp. Retrieved 21 July 2011. 
  65. ^ Why did the L.A. Times go with troopergate (The Los Angeles Times' coverage of Arkansas state troopers' allegations about President Bill Clinton), Jeffrey L. Katz, March 1994, American Journalism Review
  66. ^ Hakim, Danny (23 July 2007). "Spitzer's Staff Misused Police, Report Finds". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/23/nyregion/23cnd-spitzer.html. Retrieved 29 March 2008. 
  67. ^ Loy, Wesley (5 September 2008). "Palin won't face 'Troopergate' subpoena". Anchorage Daily News. http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/517072.html. Retrieved 5 September 2008. 
  68. ^ The tainted Star-Kist tuna scandal, CBC Archives. 'What became known as "Tunagate" erupts after this Fifth Estate report airs on 17 September 1985. The CBC's Eric Malling reveals that Progressive Conservative Fisheries Minister John Fraser had knowingly approved a million cans of rancid Star-Kist tuna for sale.'
  69. ^ PM orders probe into Ute-gate storm Kevin Rudd calls for Utegate inquiry over John Grant claims
  70. ^ http://www.todayinhistory.de/index.php?lang=en&sdt=20001011
  71. ^ http://dailycaller.com/2011/05/29/weinergate-married-congressmans-twitter-account-shares-lewd-photo/
  72. ^ "9 things Weinergate tells us about Twitter". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/social.media/06/03/weinergate.twitter.insights/index.html. 
  73. ^ Australia wheat bosses 'paid £128 m in Oil-for-Food bribes to Saddam', The Times, 6 February 2006. "This inquiry into the "wheatgate" affair will dominate the Australian Parliament when it sits this week and could expose one of Australia's biggest corruption scandals."
  74. ^ NBCOlympics profile of Bill Demong for the 2010 Winter Olympics, including "Bibgate". – accessed 28 March 2010.
  75. ^ Benammar, Emily (18 August 2009). "Dean Richards ban: how 'Bloodgate' saga unfolded". The Daily Telegraph (UK). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/6047832/Dean-Richards-ban-how-Bloodgate-saga-unfolded.html. Retrieved 18 August 2009. 
  76. ^ "Mark Hughes on 'Chicanegate'". ITV. 10 September 2008. http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=Mark_Hughes&id=43892. 
  77. ^ The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/specials/nrlcrisis/index.html. 
  78. ^ 'Grannygate' comes to a close, 17 May 2000, BBC News
  79. ^ "Dunne tells Ireland to slam the door on Grannygate and return", 11 October 2007, The Guardian
  80. ^ Samuelson, Andy (3 Feb. 2009). "'Grease-Gate' clouds superfight". Las Vegas Sun. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/feb/03/grease-gate-clouds-st-pierres-dominant-win/. Retrieved 10 August 2010. 
  81. ^ O'Kelly, Declan (18 January 2010). "Hopefully, FIFA puts end to Henrygate affair". The Score (IrishCentral). http://www.irishcentral.com/story/sport/the_score/hopefully-fifa-put-end-to-henrygate-affair-81980857.html. Retrieved 10 August 2010. 
  82. ^ Barnes, Simon (28 December 2009). "Organised cheats opening gates to sports graveyard". The Times (London). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/simon_barnes/article6968983.ece?openComment=true. Retrieved 8 May 2010. 
  83. ^ 'Indygate’ lawsuit dismissed www.itv-f1.com Retrieved 25 March 2007
  84. ^ Rutger, Tony (30 July 2000). "German Grand Prix: Coulthard takes pole as McLaren get tough". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/4763060/German-Grand-Prix-Coulthard-takes-pole-as-McLaren-get-tough.html. Retrieved 8 May 2010. 
  85. ^ http://www.independent.ie/sport/grand-prix-bosses-wipe-jerezgate-tapes-clean-460636.html
  86. ^ F1 Racing magazine, December 1997 issue, page 18, British edition as imported to America
  87. ^ "Race-rigging or press manipulation?". www.grandprix.com. 10 November 1997. http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns01347.html. Retrieved 21 November 2006. 
  88. ^ "'McLaren hauled before FIA council over 'lie-gate scandal'". The Daily Telegraph (London). 7 April 2009. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/mclaren/5120713/McLaren-hauled-before-FIA-council-over-lie-gate-scandal.html. Retrieved 7 April 2009. 
  89. ^ El 'Moggigate', Marca
  90. ^ "'Partgate' proves Roush needs to lighten up a bit", NASCAR.com, 29 March 2008: http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/opinion/03/28/jmenzer.jroush.toyota.partgate/
  91. ^ "Behind the Super Bowl Spin: The Depressing, Dangerous Stories of Seatgate", TIME Newsfeed, 6 February 2011: Behind the Super Bowl Spin: The Depressing, Dangerous Stories of Seatgate, http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/02/09/super-bowl-nfl-seatgate-controversy/
  92. ^ Clayton, John (1 June 1978). "Steelers' Secret Slips Out". Pittsburgh Press. pp. C-10. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rzIcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=O1gEAAAAIBAJ&dq=john-clayton&pg=6910%2C207658. Retrieved 2 April 2010. 
  93. ^ "Sirengate". http://www.aurorastadiumlaunceston.com.au. http://www.aurorastadiumlaunceston.com.au/content/view/25/40/. Retrieved 5 July 2008. 
  94. ^ "'Skategate' row rumbles on". BBC News. 7 March 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/winterolympics2002/hi/english/skating/newsid_1861000/1861145.stm. Retrieved 8 May 2010. 
  95. ^ "McLaren livid over latest 'Spygate' twist". ABC News. 1 March 2008. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/01/2177155.htm. Retrieved 27 June 2008. 
  96. ^ High Court win for Ferrari over 'Stepneygate' espionage scandal, The Independent, 12 July 2007
  97. ^ Ron Dennis defiant over 'Spygate', Daily Telegraph, 1 March 2008
  98. ^ "Tiger Woods confessed to cheating with 120 women while married: Report". Vancouver Sun. 30 April 2010. http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Golf+Tiger+Woods+reportedly+confessed+cheating+with+women+while+married/2967214/story.html. Retrieved 30 May 2010. 
  99. ^ GMs support Vladimir Kramnik, Chessbase, 3 October 2006
  100. ^ Rich Cimini (16 December 2010). "New York Jets coach Sal Alosi acted alone? Not buying it – ESPN New York". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/columns/story?columnist=cimini_rich&id=5924363. Retrieved 16 December 2010. 
  101. ^ http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Antennagate
  102. ^ http://www.answers.com/topic/antennagate
  103. ^ http://www.zdnet.co.uk/blogs/jacks-blog-10017212/antennagate-its-time-for-apple-to-behave-different-10018219/
  104. ^ http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1725887/apple-stops-bashing-rivals-antennagate
  105. ^ http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/07/30/pa_consulting_group_iphone_4_tests/
  106. ^ "clipgate". political Wire. September 15, 2011. http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/09/15/clipgate.html#043592a. Retrieved 2011-09-16. 
  107. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ipm/2008/10/gateanswers_as_promiseddrumrol.shtml
  108. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/nov/18/usnews.broadcasting EastEnders-style drama set for US
  109. ^ http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2003/1027/entertainment/kfkfsnauidmh/ Corrie killer Hillman makes top soap moment
  110. ^ http://www.tv.com/the-simpsons/the-boy-who-knew-too-much/episode/1386/trivia.html

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