The scandal connected with the sale of public land that lost Taft the progressive support that he had retained was called the?

The scandal connected with the sale of public land that caused President William Howard Taft to lose progressive support was called the Ballinger-Pinchot controversy. This controversy arose when Secretary of the Interior Richard Ballinger opened public lands in Alaska for private development, leading to conflicts with conservationist Gifford Pinchot. Taft's handling of the situation alienated many progressives who had previously supported him, significantly weakening his political standing within the party.