THE C.I.A. leak case could bedevil the Bush administration for months. So far, however, it has not nearly approached the scale of an earlier White House scandal, Iran-contra, and its 11 convictions. The sweep of the Watergate scandal is in a class by itself. Since then, special prosecutors have taken aim at people tied to government's highest offices more than 20 times. Some inquiries, months or years long and costing millions, have found nothing to prosecute. Ronald Reagan's labor secretary, Raymond J. Donovan, was investigated for allegations of mob ties; Reagan's attorney general, Edwin Meese III, was accused of financial improprieties. Neither was indicted. After six years, prosecutors could not prove that Bill and Hillary Clinton's Whitewater real estate venture involved any criminal behavior or attempt to conceal evidence.

Here is a who's who of the convicted and the pardoned. BILL MARSH

Photos: Lt. Col. Oliver L. North, left, and Brendan V. Sullivan Jr., his attorney. (Photo by Lana Harris/Associated Press); 1973: Charles W. Colson, left, pleaded guilty to obstruction of

justice. John D. Ehrlichman testifies and H. R. Haldeman faces the press, far right. (Photo by Neil Selkirk/Time Life Pictures -- Getty Images); (Photographs by Associated Press); Above: Former Attorney General John N. Mitchell, on trial for criminal conspiracy, reads about more Watergate indictments on March 7, 1973. (Photo by Ray Stubblebine/Associated Press); (Photo by Jose R. Lopez/The New York Times)

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Iran-Contra
The Reagan administration sold arms to Iran in secret, using proceeds to finance Nicaraguan rebels; 14 were charged and 11 convicted of crimes like fraud and obstruction, including John M. Poindexter, above. Only Thomas G. Clines was imprisoned. Shortly before leaving office, President George H. W. Bush pardoned six of those involved.

GUILTY
John M. Poindexter -- National Security Adviser
Oliver L. North -- National Security Council staff
Poindexter and North charges thrown out on appeal.
Richard V. -- Secord Air Force major general
Thomas G. Clines -- C.I.A. agent, businessman
Carl R. Channell -- Businessman
Albert Hakim -- Businessman
Richard R. Miller -- Businessman

GUILTY AND PARDONED
Elliott Abrams -- Assistant Secretary of State
Robert C. McFarlane -- National Security Adviser
Clair E. George -- Head of C.I.A. clandestine services
Alan D. Fiers Jr. -- Head of C.I.A. Central American Task Force

PRE-TRIAL PARDONS
Caspar W. Weinberger -- Defense Secretary
Duane R. Clarridge -- C.I.A. chief of European operations

Watergate
A bungled 1972 burglary at the Democratic National Committee's office in the Watergate complex exposed a White House apparatus of dirty tricks, law-breaking and cover-up. Two years later, President Richard M. Nixon, facing impeachment, resigned. President Gerald R. Ford pardoned him of any wrongdoing a month later. A total of 69 people were charged with crimes; 48 people and 20 corporations pleaded guilty.

SOME OF THOSE GUILTY IN COVER-UP
John N. Mitchell -- Attorney general, Nixon re-election committee head
John W. Dean -- White House counsel
John D. Ehrlichman -- Domestic adviser
H. R. Haldeman -- White House chief of staff
Fred C. LaRue -- Nixon re-election committee deputy
Jeb S. Magruder -- Nixon re-election committee official
Robert C. Mardian -- Nixon re-election committee lawyer, former deputy attorney general

SOME OF THOSE GUILTY IN BREAK-INS
Charles W. Colson -- White House aide
G. Gordon Liddy -- White House aide, counsel to Nixon re-election committee
E. Howard Hunt -- White House aide
Bernard L. Barker -- D.N.C. burglar
Virgilio Gonzales -- D.N.C. burglar
Eugenio Martinez -- D.N.C. burglar
James W. McCord Jr. -- D.N.C. burglar
Frank Sturgis -- D.N.C. burglar

All of the above were imprisoned except for Mardian, whose conviction was overturned on appeal.

(Sources by New York Times archives; Associated Press; Final Report of the Independent Counsel for Iran-contra Matters)