By: Larry M. Newton
Date: 12/01/08
Instructor/Class: Dr. Jeremy Lewis/PSC 499
Objectives
 Discuss the Origins of the Impeachment and its
process in the United States
 Analyze the impeachments of Supreme Court Justice
Samuel Chase and President’s Andrew Johnson and
William “Bill” Clinton
 Analyze Nixon’s near impeachment
Origins and Process of
Impeachment
 Jolly Old England
 Madison and Federalist 51- “Ambition must be made to
counteract ambition.”
 Article 1, Sections 2 and 3; Article II, Section 4; and
Article III, Section 1- Impeachment in the Constitution
Process Continued…Art. II, Sect. 4
 “The President, Vice President and all Civil Officers of
the United States, shall be removed from Office on
Impeachment for Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or
other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”
 Treason-Art. III, Sect. 3
 Bribery
 High Crimes and Misdemeanors- George Mason vs.
James Madison
Process Continued...Congress
 House of Representatives (218)
 Committee
 Prosecution
 Senate (2/3 or 67/100)
 Judge and Jury
 Supreme Court
 Moderator
 Votes
 Impeachment and Acquittal
Samuel Chase
 United States Supreme Court Justice
 Federalist
 Jefferson vs. Adams
 Impeachment
 8 articles


Fries case
5 of 8 were Callender Case
Chase Vote
SENATE VOTE
Fries Article
16 Conviction
18 Acquittal
Second Article
10 Conviction
24 Acquittal
Third Article
18 Conviction
16 Acquittal
Fourth Article
18 Conviction
16 Acquittal
“Several of the historians who have written on the subject have taken the
view espoused by John Quincy Adams: The impeachment was a partisan
effort by the Republicans to ‘get’ Chase…” (Rehnquist, 1992, 107).
Andrew Johnson
 17th United States President after death of Lincoln
 Democrat
 President’s Reconstruction vs. Congress Reconstruction
 Freedman’s Bureau Bill, Civil Rights Act of 1866,
Reconstruction Act of 1867, Tenure of Office Act
 Radical Republicans
 Edwin Stanton
Johnson Impeached
 Impeachment Number 1
 Complaints filed against the president
 Failed House vote…108-57
 Impeachment Number 2
 11 Articles Filed
 Supreme Court Justice Salmon P. Chase
 Acquitted
Johnson Vote
House
126 Conviction 47 Nay
Senate
35 Conviction
19 Acquittal
Note: At this time it took 36 out of 54 Senate votes to reach the 2/3 majority.
William “Bill” Clinton
 42nd President of the United States
 Paula Jones and Monica Lewinsky
 Kenneth Starr
 Impeachment
 4 Articles


2 passed the House: Perjury and Obstruction of Justice
2 did NOT pass the House: Article II and Article IV
 Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist
 Honorable Edward Pease (R-IN)
Clinton Vote
House Judiciary Committee
Charge
Yes by Party
No by Party
Perjury
21 Republicans
16 Democrats
Obstruction of
Justice
21 Republicans
16 Democrats
Article II
20 Republicans
17 Democrats ;
Republican
Article IV
21 Republicans
16 Democrats
1
Clinton Vote
House of Representatives
Charge and Vote
Yes by Party
No by Party
Not Voting
Perjury 228-206
223 Rep; 5 Dem
5 Rep; 200
Dems; 1 Ind
1 Dem
Obstruction of
Justice 221-212
216 Rep; 5 Dem
12 Rep; 199
Dem; 1 Ind
2 Dem
Article II 205-229
200 Rep; 5 Dem
28 Rep; 200
Dem; 1 Ind
1 Dem
Article IV 148-285
147 Rep; 1 Dem
81 Rep; 203
Dem; 1 Ind
2 Dem
Clinton Vote
Senate
Charge and Vote
Yes by Party
No by Party
Perjury 45-55
45 Rep
45 Dem; 10 Rep
Obstruction of Justice
50-50
50 Rep
45 Dem; 5 Rep
Richard M. Nixon





37th President of the United States
Republican
Watergate and Tapes
Executive privilege and US vs. Nixon
Impeachment
 Only House Judiciary
 3 Articles
 Obstruction of Justice
 Abuse of Power
 Defiance of Subpoenas
 Resignation
Nixon Vote
House Judiciary Committee
Charge and Vote
Yes by Party
No by Party
Article I 27-11
21 Dem; 6 Rep
11 Rep
Article II 28-10
21 Dem; 7 Rep
10 Rep
Article III 21-17
19 Dem; 2 Rep
2 Dem; 15 Rep
Closing
 Explanation of what we have observed in regards to
impeachment in the House and acquittal in the Senate
 What should be grounds for Impeachment:
 Treason
 Bribery
 High Crimes and Misdemeanors
 Questions and Answers
 Final Thoughts
Books to Consider
 Impeachment: A Handbook by Charles L. Black Jr.
 The Impeachment and Trial of Andrew Johnson by Michael Les






Benedict
The Impeachment and Trial of Andrew Johnson by David Miller Dewitt
An Affair of State: The Investigation, Impeachment, and Trial of
President Clinton by Richard A. Posner
Our Monica, Ourselves: The Clinton Affair and the National Interest by
Lauren Berlant and Lisa Duggan
Abuse of Power: The New Nixon Tapes by Stanley I. Kutler
U.S. v. Richard Nixon: The Final Crisis by Frank Mankiewicz
Grand Inquests: The Historic Impeachments of Justice Samuel Chase
and President Andrew Johnson by William H. Rehnquist
Thank You
 Have a Wonderful Political Science experience with Dr.
Lewis and Huntingdon College
 Have a Happy Holiday Season
 Safe Travels
Larry M. Newton
Cell:334-303-9074
Email: LMNBSA@hotmail.com (or)
Larry.newton@huntingdon.edu