[[File:William-blount-wb-cooper.jpg|thumb|left|Figure 1. William Blount was the first federal government representative to be impeached.]]__NOTOC__Impeachment is the a two-part process where a government official, at the that allows state or federal level legislatures in the United States, is removed to remove either an elected or appointed official from officefor "high crimes and misdemeanors." The process begins in the state or federal house of representatives. It represents After a critical part of trial, the checks and balances envisioned official then faces an impeachment vote by the Constitution and also by local and state lawslower house. While House votes typically only require a majority vote for impeachment of presidents has been rare. If the official is impeached by the house, judges, congressional members, governors, and others have been impeached while holding officethen it is then referred to the state or federal senate.
==Early Impeachments The state or federal senate then decides if that official will be convicted and removed from office based on the findings of the House during the impeachment process. Unlike the vote in the 18th house for impeachment, most senates are required to have 2/3 majority to remove an official from office. Impeachment and conviction represent a critical part of the checks and balances envisioned by the Constitution and also by local and state laws. While impeachment of presidents has been rare, judges, congressional members, governors, and others have been impeached and 19th Century==convicted while holding office.
Impeachments Additionally, while impeachment and convictions are seen as a way to remove a public official by a lower legislative house when a given crime has been committed by an official, often during their tenure, although it is possible to also remove an official after the disclosure of a crime after an official enters office. William Blount was the first elected official who was impeached. He was a senator from Tennesse and in 1797 was impeached for conspiring with Great Britian compared to wage war and capturing Spanish territory in the United States. The senator was a known land speculator who had purchased territory in western Tennessee and other surroundings. He had over purchased and was in debttrials, thus to raise the land's value he tried to have Great Britain launch a war against Spain to seize territory in Louisianathey are inherently political. This backfired on him and Politics can play as large or even greater role than the House of Representatives tried to impeach him for conspiring to launch a war between Spain and Great Britain, but ultimately the Senate refused to accept the House's oversight and decision but removed him anyway from the Senateevidence that is presented.
During ====Early Impeachments in the time between 18th and 19th Century====Impeachments are the founding of first step in a process to remove by the United States and the Civil Warlower legislative house when an alleged crime has been committed by an official, there were three impeachments, all of whom were judgesoften during their tenure. Two of these were local district Judges, John Pickering and James Peck, but one was History also shows that it is possible to remove an official for a chief justice crime committed before they entered office. William Blount (Samuel ChaseFigure 1)was the first elected official who was impeached. Most of the issues against them had He was a senator from Tennesse and in 1797 was impeached for conspiring with Great Britain to do with abuse of power, wage war and drunkness in the case of John Pickering. In the case of Samuel Chase, Thomas Jefferson had found him obstructionist in capture Spanish territory so that his political agenda after the 1800 electionreal estate ventures would benefit. Although The senator was a signatory of the Declaration of Independence, Samuel Chase known land speculator who had been known for irregular behavior including using his position purchased territory in the Contential Congress to improve his business dealingswestern Tennessee and other surroundings. He had over purchased and was appointed by Washington to the Supreme Court and during the time of Jeffersonin debt, the Supreme Court was seen as a threat thus to seizing too much power. In 1803, articles of impeachment were brought up against him, dealing with raise the justiceland's behavior against Thomas Cooper and others. Thomas Cooper was value he tried under the Alien and Sedition Acts for criticizing John Adams, the previous president. Samuel Chase repeatedly riled against Thomas Cooper, a close friend to Thomas Jeffersonhave Great Britain seize territory in Louisiana from Spain, leading as colonists might be forced to Thomas Jefferson trying move to remove Samuel Chase from office. Ultimately, this proved unsuccessful and areas where he was formally acquited in 1805owned land.
During This decision backfired on him and the Civil War, there was an impeachment House of Representatives tried to impeach him for conspiring with a foreign state to launch a district judge (West Humphreys) for supporting the South in 1862. Howeverwar between Spain and Great Britain, it was but ultimately the trial of Andrew Johnson in 1868 that proved Senate refused to be accept the first impeachment trial against a sitting presidentHouse's oversight and decision. Andrew Johnson, never a strong believer in giving rights to former slaves, came to office as vice-president to Lincoln in 1864 as part of a national unity ticket that had The Senate did remove him, a Democrat, serv with Lincoln, a Republican. During the anyway but during this early reconstruction years, Congress repeatedly refused the return history of former Southern leaders back to power that Southern states tried to reinstate. Johnson was sympathetic to the Southern states, setting the stage for conflict with Congress, where they eventually limited his power to shape his cabinet by passing United States the Tenure of Office Act that prohibited Johnson Senate wanted more separation from firing members of his cabinetthe House. After Johnson tried to fire his Secretary of War (Edwin Stanton)<ref>For more on these early trials, see: Melton, Congress acted and impeached himB. Ultimately, Johnson survived and was acquitted, although he was not re-elected later in 1868F. Interestingly, one reason Johnson survived was because Congress was fearful that Benjamin Wade, a so-called radical Republican, would push through legislation such as women's suffrage (something not acceptable to most politicians in the 1860s1998). In <i>The first impeachment: the 1870s, two more impeachments occurred, with one district judge (Mark W. Delahay, for drunkenness; acquitted but resigned), constitution’s framers and the first cabinet member case of Senator William Blount (William W1st ed)</i>. Belknap; Secretary of War; acquitted but resigned)Macon, Ga: Mercer University Press. </ref>
==Impeachment During the time between the founding of the United States and the Civil War, there were just three impeachments, all of whom were judges. Two of these were local district Judges, John Pickering, and James Peck, but one was a chief justice (Samuel Chase). Most of the issues against them had to do with abuse of power, and drunkness in the case of John Pickering. In the case of Samuel Chase, Thomas Jefferson had found him obstructionist in his political agenda after the 1800 election. Although a signatory of the Declaration of Independence, Samuel Chase had been known for irregular behavior including using his position in the 20th Century==Contential Congress to improve his business dealings. He was appointed by Washington to the Supreme Court and during the time of Jefferson, the Supreme Court was seen as a threat to seizing too much power.
Impeachment throughout the 20th century focused on judgesIn 1803, mostly district judges, such as Charles Swayne (1905), George English (1926)articles of impeachment were brought up against him, dealing with the justice's behavior against Thomas Cooper and Halsted Ritter (1936)others. Most of these revolved around abuse of power Thomas Cooper was tried under the Alien and corruption. One of the more noteworthy impeachments was Robert Wodrow ArchbaldSedition Acts for criticizing John Adams, who was on the Commerce Courtprevious president. He was convicted in 1913 and removed Samuel Chase repeatedly riled against Thomas Cooper, a close friend to Thomas Jefferson, leading to Thomas Jefferson trying to remove Samuel Chase from office for taking gifts to sway because he saw him overstepping his decisionsbounds. He Ultimately, this proved unsuccessful for Jefferson and Chase was given favorable railroads and real estate deals formally acquited by the Senate in exchange for decisions1805. He was eventually convicted in January 1913, despite <ref>For more on Samuel Chase and his repeated attempts to claim innocence. While the 1920-1930s saw three impeachment casescase, there were no impeachment cases between 1936-1986see: Rehnquist, the longest stretches in US history without any impeachment trials of any government official at the federal levelW. H. (1999). In <i>Grand inquests: the 1980s, there were three impeachment trials historic impeachments of judges Justice Samuel Chase and President Andrew Johnson (Harry E1. Quill ed. Claiborne, Alcee Hastings, and Walter Nixonreissued), all of whom were convicted and removed from office as district judges</i>. These cases had to do with tax evasion, bribery, and perjuryNew York: Quill/Morrow. </ref>
The next big federal case During the Civil War, there was against President Bill Clinton in 1998, as a result successful impeachment of a district judge (West Humphreys) for supporting the sexual harassment case South in relation to Paula Jones investigation1862. However, which also included it was the Monica Lewinsky affair. This was trial of Andrew Johnson in 1868 that proved to be the first impeachment of trial against a sitting president since . Andrew Johnson. The result required , never a 2/3s majority for his convictionstrong believer in giving rights to former slaves, with Bill Clinton just surviving came to office as vice-president to Lincoln in 1864 as part of a mostly partisan in national unity ticket that had him, a Democrat, serve with Lincoln, a February 12Republican. During the early reconstruction years, 1999 vote Congress repeatedly refused the return of former Southern leaders back to power that saw the Senate vote 50 for and 50 against in relation Southern states tried to reinstate into the charge of obstruction of justice and 55-45 for perjuryUnion. After Johnson was sympathetic to the acquittal of ClintonSouthern states, in 2009 and 2010 respectivelysetting the stage for conflict with Congress, Samuel B. Kent and Thomas Porteous, who were district judges, also faced impeachment. Both where they eventually limited his power to shape his cabinet by passing the Tenure of them were effectively removed Office Act that prohibited Johnson from office due to the proceedings, although Samuel Kent was not convictedfiring members of his cabinet.
==Recent Impeachments==After Johnson tried to fire his Secretary of War (Edwin Stanton), Congress acted and impeached him. Ultimately, Johnson survived and was acquitted, although he was not re-elected later in 1868. Interestingly, one reason Johnson survived was because Congress was fearful that Benjamin Wade, a so-called radical Republican, would push through legislation such as women's suffrage (something not acceptable to most politicians in the 1860s). In the 1870s, two more impeachments occurred, with one district judge (Mark W. Delahay, for drunkenness; acquitted but resigned) and the first cabinet member (William W. Belknap; Secretary of War; acquitted but resigned) impeached.<ref>For more on impeachments that include Andrew Johnson and the late 19th century, see: Harvey, A. L. (2014). <i>A mere machine: the Supreme Court, Congress, and American democracy</i>. Yale University Press.</ref>
==Conclusion==Impeachment in the 20th Century====Impeachment throughout the 20th century focused on judges, mostly district judges, such as Charles Swayne (1905), George English (1926), and Halsted Ritter (1936). Most of these revolved around abuse of power and corruption. One of the more noteworthy impeachments was Robert Wodrow Archbald, who was on the Commerce Court. He was convicted in 1913 and removed from office for taking gifts to sway his decisions. He was given favorable railroads and real estate deals in exchange for decisions. He was eventually convicted in January 1913, despite his repeated attempts to claim innocence. While the 1920-1930s saw three impeachment cases, there were no impeachment cases between 1936-1986, the longest stretches in US history without any impeachment trials of any government official at the federal level. In the 1980s, there were three impeachment trials of judges (Harry E. Claiborne, Alcee Hastings, and Walter Nixon), all of whom were convicted and removed from office as district judges. These cases had to do with tax evasion, bribery, and perjury.<ref>For more on these impeachments, see: Gerhardt, M. J. (2000). <i>The federal impeachment process: a constitutional and historical analysis (2nd ed)</i>. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.</ref>
The next big federal case was against President Bill Clinton in 1998, as a result of the sexual harassment case in relation to the Paula Jones investigation, which also included the Monica Lewinsky affair. This was the first impeachment of a sitting president since Andrew Johnson. The result required a two-thirds majority for his conviction, with Bill Clinton just surviving in a mostly partisan vote in February 12, 1999 that saw the Senate vote 50 for and 50 against in relation to the charge of obstruction of justice and 55 (not guilty) to 45 (guilty) for perjury. After the acquittal of Clinton, in 2009 and 2010 respectively, Samuel B. Kent and Thomas Porteous, who were district judges, also faced impeachment. Both of them were effectively removed from office due to the proceedings, although Samuel Kent was not convicted.<ref>For more on Clinton and the later impeachments, see: Lichtman, A. J. (2017). <i>The case for impeachment (First edition)</i>. New York: Dey St., an imprint of William Morrow. </ref> ====State Level Impeachments====<dh-ad/>[[File:22rod0px-Rod Blagojevich (2911120436) (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Figure 2. Blagojevich famously tried to sell Obama's old Senate seat.]]Impeachments have also occurred, generally more frequently, at the state level, often involving governors or state officials and state judges. The first governor to be impeached was Charles L. Robinson from Kansas, in 1862, who was impeached due to his rivalry with James Lane. Robinson, along with John Robinson and George S. Hillyer, who were the Secretary of State and Auditor of the state, were all impeached. This was effectively an attempt to overthrow the Kansas government at a time when elections were highly disputed in Kansas and the previous decade's controversial statehood of Kansas lingered in memory. While the 1862 impeachment of Robinson of Kansas was the first impeachment of a governor, although he was acquited, the 1870s saw a series of impeachments against governors, stemming from the acrimonious reconstruction years of governors elected or selected in southern states. Governors from Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana, and Mississippi were all impeached in the 1870s, with only the governor of Florida (Harrison Reed) surviving his impeachment proceedings.<ref>For more on the first state-level impeachments, see: Snell, G., & Shea, W. (1991). <i>Hysterically historical</i>. Red Fox.</ref> In 2009, one well known recent case of a governor's impeachment revolved around Rod Blagojevich (Figure 2), who tried to sell and solicit bribes of the Senatorial seat occupied by Barack Obama who had become president after 2008. This was notable in being among the fastest impeachment proceedings in history, where the crime and impeachment trial occurred about one month apart. In more recent times, the most notable impeachment of state officials occurred in 2018, with the West Virginia Court of Appeals judges impeached due to excessive spending. These impeachment trials have not fully concluded as of early 2019.<ref>For more on these recent cases, see: Tseng, M. (2018). <i>The Politics of Impeachment</i>. Westphalia Press.</ref> ====Conclusion====Almost all impeachments at the federal level have been against judges, often with cases related to corruption or behavior that involves illegal payments and perjury. At the state level, governors have become impeached only from around the time of the Civil War and until today. In the 1870s, governors were tried in southern states for being seen as anti-southern or having been supported by the US government in its acts of enforcing Reconstruction. More recently, Rod Blagojevich, governor of Illinois, and state Supreme Court justices in West Virginia have faced impeachment for corruption-related charges. ====References====<references/> [[Category:Wikis]] [[Category:United States History]] [[Category:Political History]] [[Category:Legal History]]{{Contributors}}
