http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_scandals_with_%22-gate%22_suffix

The story of Nixon and Watergate has been well explored and explained. The scandal was the original use and beginning of the suffix “-gate.” The suffix has been used as an implication of some sort of scandal, discrimination, or corruption. There have been so many “-gates” that Wikipedia has a list of most known “-gate” mishaps. Some of the most recent “-gates” I can recall include #gamergate and #bendgate relating to sexual discrimination in gaming journalism and Apple iPhones respectively. The use of the suffix is a testament to the media’s need to name and label everything.