(n) :
an American
political scandal (beginning with a
burglary in the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC in 1972) that eventually led to
resignation of US
President Richard Nixon; any scandal usually involving: a) the abuse of one's own, or two or more acting-in-tandem people's own,
occupational position(s) (frequently involving one or more
public officials and/or involving a person or persons who significantly jeopardize the trust or resources of the public or of a major nonpublic organization -- and very frequently involving one or more significant
elected public officials and/or involving one or more high
appointed public officials)