why was james ferguson impeached

There are 31 members of the Texas State Senate. After a trial, the Senate voted him out of office by a vote of 25-3 and banned him from holding any state office. Lewis L. Gould, Progressives and Prohibitionists: Texas Democrats in the Wilson Era (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1973; rpt., Austin: Texas State Historical Association, 1992). Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. In retaliation, Ferguson vetoed the entire appropriation for the university. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. we are committed to exploring the diverse experiences and histories of all women. He said the governor served the people, but he used the power of the office to reward his friends and crush not just his political enemies, but good servants of the state whose only offense was not voting for him. Rachel M. Gunter further places the Ferguson impeachment in the context of the suffrage movement. Johnson Roofing built a business on topping off buildings, but when it comes to its legacy, Bill Johnson and daughter Sherri focus on the foundation. His wife was defeated for re-election in 1926, following questions of improper use of her pardoning power. The second was state District Judge OliveroCarrilloin 1976, who was impeached for income tax fraud. He moved to Temple and in 1907 joined with others in establishing the Temple State Bank. The charges were then sent to the state Senate for trial. I suppose the best of these was substantially increasing the funding for public education, particularly benefiting rural Texas, and creating a Texas Highway Department, even though he later raided the agencys funds with impunity. [1] Impeachments in Texas begin in the Texas House of Representatives which must cast a majority vote in favor of impeachment. by Nicole Shealy He was replaced by William P. Hobby after the Texas House of Representatives found him guilty in ten of twenty-one charges. Ferguson was the only "wet" candidate in the Democratic primary and garnered all of the anti-prohibitionist votes over a plurality of "dry" candidates. Two years later they lost a reelection bid amid new scandals concerning excessive pardons and political patronage abuses. He ended up back in the Governors Mansion for a third time when she became the first woman governor in Texas history. She would serve one more term as governor from 1933 to 1935. Landowners were assured, however, that they need not be alarmed by the proposal, as it would benefit all concerned. Carillo in 1975. After all, he was known as Farmer Jim. State executives | Gov. Rick Perry, but this instance in Texas political history is a few years shy of its 100th birthday. The Senate removed Ferguson from office by a vote of 25-3. ." Almost a century later, the impeachment of Ferguson by the Texas House of Representatives presents both striking similarities and key differences to the ongoing Hall saga. The colleges were permitted to begin building programs, and the educational appropriation bills were more generous than usual. . Low 54F. In general, the purpose of an impeachment proceeding is to remove from office a . Among the charges was falsifying campaign finance reports to conceal a loan to his campaign of $350,000. He was reelected in 1916 but the following year was impeached on grounds of misusing public funds and removed from office. As a political speaker he had few equals. A part of his appeal as a candidate for governor was his support for white supremacy in the political process. He told the UT president, Dr. Robert E. Vinson, that he wanted them fired. The first had to do with his abuse of power while attempting to micromanage the University of Texas. KVUE is looking back at the history of some past Texas governors. [12], [13] In addition, Cigarroa wrote: "During testimony before the Select Committee, some early witnesses implied that the U.T. But the day before the conviction was certain to come down. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. Jessica Brannon-Wranosky concludes with an assessment of the historical memory of Fergusons impeachment throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The Fergusons retired from public life afterward with James Ferguson dying in 1944 and his wife passing away in 1961. Dictionary of American History. Nine years later, Ferguson died of a stroke. She would serve one more term as governor from 1933 to 1935. System has not protected the privacy rights of students, staff, and patients. [7], In 1914, Ferguson was elected as governor of Texas by running as an anti-prohibitionist Democrat. The controversy grew out of the refusal of the board of regents to remove certain faculty members whom the governor found objectionable. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Senators will then act as jurors while the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the proceedings. On December 31, 1899, he married Miriam A. Wallace; they had two children. Impeached provides a new examination of the rise and fall of Fergusons political fortunes, offering a focused look at how battles over economic class, academic freedom, womens enfranchisement, and concentrated political power came to be directed toward one politician. How to run for office | Both elected and non-elected officials can be impeached in Texas. In the wake of the controversy, issues from Fergusons past campaign for governor in 1916 came back into the spotlight. The regents refused. resigning his office and being barred by the legislature to ever serve a state office again. Committee member Dan Flynn said he was not surprised by the findings and was pleased the university counsel reached a conclusion.[21][22][23][24]. You have permission to edit this article. He was elected governor in 1914, his first election. The Constitution gives the House power to impeach the president, officials appointed by the president (including cabinet officers), and judges. General Libraries at the University of Texas at Austin, Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Services. "Ferguson Impeachment [9] According to historian Dan Utley, Ferguson planned to use state appointments as part of a spoils system to reward his political supporters. Proclamation signed by a majority of the members of the House. An argument over spending tax dollars, an attempt to silence political opponents, and charges of a kangaroo court.. 1. so that gubernatorial elections will not be influenced by a presidential election 2. so that candidates cannot run for governor and a federal office at the same time 3. so that voters will not become overwhelmed by too many candidates in one year 4. because Texas happened to become part of the US during an off-year Hearing the gasps in the chamber, Ferguson immediately asked to strike the comment. 27 February 1917 in Floresville, Texas; d. 15 June 1993 in Houston, Texas), governor of Tex, https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/ferguson-impeachment. Dictionaries thesauruses pictures and press releases. The chairman of the investigating committee, William H. Bledsoe of Lubbock, called for impeachment. When he was four years old, his father died. He was barred, but managed to have his wife ("Ma Ferguson") elected governor; she was elected for a second term in 1932. The [Texas House of Representatives] immediately turned its attention to the numerous charges against [Governor James Ferguson] and, after a lengthy investigation, prepared twenty-one articles of impeachment. Ballotpedia's election legislation tracker, Political favoritism in admissions to the University of Texas, Forgivable loans program at the University of Texas Law School, House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations (TSAO), Joint Committee on Oversight of Higher Ed Governance, Excellence & Transparency, University of Texas System Board of Regents, 1987 Memorandum within the Texas Legislative Council regarding removal of state officers by the state legislature, Analysis of Constitutional Impeachment Procedures in Texas, Texas House Bill 588, the "Top 10% Rule" (1997), https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Impeachments_in_Texas&oldid=8020920, Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022, Special Congressional elections (2023-2024), 2022 Congressional Competitiveness Report, State Executive Competitiveness Report, 2022, State Legislative Competitiveness Report, 2022, Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections. Ferguson was indicted on nine charges which included misapplication of public funds, embezzlement and the diversion of a special fund. This call was of doubtful legality, but Ferguson removed all question by calling the legislature to meet for the purpose of making appropriations for the University of Texas. 4. As a result of his actions, in 1917, Ferguson became the only Texas governor impeached and removed from office. With charges growing against Ferguson, the House of Representatives drew up 21 charges against him and voted to impeach. . Instead, the House immediately turned its attention to 21 articles of impeachment. And here, Ferguson made his second blunder. He left home at sixteen and wandered for two years through the states of the Far West, where he lived by accepting any employment offered. But it is Hall not his political patron, Perry who would be targeted for possible impeachment. Only 17 federal officers have been impeached since 1776. He was by this time an old man. Unlike federal offices, which require formal charges brought against an individual and in most cases criminal charges, the Texas Constitution does not provide specific grounds for impeachment. As much as one might appreciate Fergusons homey aphorisms, a word hed likely have found objectionable because of its academic taint his style loses its charm when you learn all that was revealed at his impeachment. As a result of his actions, in 1917, Ferguson became the only Texas governor impeached and removed from office. The Texas House of Representatives prepared 21 charges against Ferguson, and, in his impeachment trial, the Texas Senate convicted him on 10 of those charges, including misapplication of public funds and receiving $156,000 from an unnamed source.[12][13]. He was kicked out of a local prep school, Salado College, at age 12 for misbehavior. That committee has been holding a series of meetings in late 2013. The Regents refused. The Ferguson controversy with the university brought renewed interest in the old charges, however, and at about the same time a number of new charges were made. [11] Another leading Ferguson critic on the UT campus was the historian Eugene C. Barker. He blamed his directors for running a shoddy operation. Which Way Will Harris County Precinct 3 Turn In 2020? James Ferguson died on September 21, 1944, and was buried in the State Cemetery in Austin. He believed that "a Negro has no business whatever taking a part in the political affairs of the Democratic party, the white man's party." The State Senate reduced the charges to ten, half of which dealt with the transfer of the $5,600. The vote made him ineligible to hold any office of honor, trust or profit in the state of Texas. While there, legislators legally took up another matter, impeachment. Encyclopedia.com. Even his former political allies couldn't find him innocent in the face of such damning evidence - and his own indefensible behavior. Dan Moody. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). TEXAS HISTORY MINUTE: The impeachment of Pa Ferguson, Texas lawmakers push for statewide paid parental leave, Graford secures regional quarterfinal in domina, Parker County man arrested on charges of impersonating an officer, 'New' doors opening: Poston Dry Goods now Mineral Wells hub, Mineral Wells native celebrates 103rd birthday, UPDATED playoff basketball scores: 2/20-2/21/23, Brock moves on with emphatic win over Holliday, Graford secures regional quarterfinal in dominant fashion, Millsap's Coach Johnson relishes his 'calling'. 2003, The Texas State Historical Association. He took the stand on his own behalf and was mostly a weak and contradictory witness, unable to explain discrepancies. In 1916 Ferguson's reelection seemed certain. Her most recent publications include contributions to Texas Women: Their Histories, Their Lives and Discovering Texas History. If the House adopts articles of impeachment, the Texas State Senate must then sit as the court of impeachment. [2], Impeachments have historically been reserved for cases in which a public official committed a criminal act. In 1917, barely into his second term as governor of Texas, James E. Ferguson was impeached, convicted, and removed from office. The Board of Regents hired the firm to review whether Hall may have violated any federal privacy laws in his handling of student information. A grand jury in Travis County learned that in 1915, Ferguson had transferred $5,600 from the state to a bank in Austin and then to his bank in Temple that he used to pay off a private debt. November 2013 testimony prompted committee-member Trey Fischer to request the inquiry. He lost the 1922 Democratic Primary race for U.S. Senate by a wide margin. He liked to say he was no city slicker and no college dude. A government doesnt require educated fools to run properly. James Ferguson is the only governor to be impeached and convicted. Cities | Impeachment is the equivalent of an indictment. Millions of Texans have rare diseases. The movement to impeach and remove James Ferguson as governor ultimately ended with Ferguson _____. The Texas Senate, many of whom had served under William Harding Mayes and with whom Mayes maintained cordial relationships,[14] removed Ferguson as governor and declared him ineligible to hold office under Texas jurisdiction. The Legislature then came back into session to consider impeachment, an attempt Ferguson immediately condemned. In 1917, Gov. Impeachment is the process by which the legislative branch has the authority to remove a sitting public official. After a trial, the Senate voted him out of office by a vote of 25-3 and banned him from holding any state office. The first and only Texas governor to be impeached is Governor James "Pa" Ferguson. The legislature passed generous appropriation bills, and the ad valorem tax rate reached the constitutional maximum of thirty-five cents. After he returned to Texas, he studied law in Bell County and was admitted to the bar. He is interred next to his wife at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin. In 1930 he conducted the unsuccessful campaign of his wife for the governorship, and in 1932 he conducted her successful campaign for the same office. Hall updated Governor Rick Perry's office in April 2013 with the full list. In 1917, James Ferguson was impeached and removed from office as governor of Texas while under indictment. The most discussed plank in his platform, which appealed especially to tenant farmers, proposed a law that would limit the rent charged by landlords and prevent the collection of bonuses. Nine of the charges can be described as violations of the law, while the obtaining of $156,500 from a secret source was certainly not in keeping with good policy. The Senate can call witnesses to testify and vote to convict with a two-thirds majority vote. Thereafter, he entered upon a career of banking and ranching, and by I9I4, he had attained considerable success in these activities.' In his first campaign, Ferguson displayed an amazing plat-form ability, of the rough-and-ready style. The United States Constitution provides that the President of the United States shall only be removed from office upon "Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors. James Ferguson. He decided that the university president must resign, and when Vinson refused, Ferguson vetoed the universitys entire budget. Please subscribe to keep reading. Laws governing impeachment in Texas are governed by Article 15 of the Texas Constitution. He loaned himself so much money that he practically bankrupted his own bank. The most that the select committee can do would be to recommend to the full state house that articles of impeachment be drafted. The incumbent State Librarian was Ernest Winkler, who was a professional historian with years of experience as a librarian. Samuel Houston (1793-1863), American statesman and soldier, was the person most responsible for bringing Texas into the Union. Found objectionable updated governor rick Perry 's office in April 2013 with the transfer of the memory... Barred by the proposal, as it would benefit all concerned committed to exploring the diverse experiences and of. Sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list 1976, who was impeached removed! Libraries at the university of Texas while under indictment has not protected the privacy rights of students,,... A government doesnt require educated fools to run for office | Both elected and non-elected officials can be impeached Texas... Concerning excessive pardons and political patronage abuses Hall may have violated any federal privacy laws in handling! Issues from Fergusons past campaign for governor was his support for white supremacy in the of... Must cast a majority vote being barred by the president, officials appointed by the (... Was mostly a weak and contradictory witness, unable to explain discrepancies turned its attention 21. The legislative branch has the authority to remove from office as governor ultimately ended Ferguson! His handling of student information, issues from Fergusons past campaign for governor his. In late 2013 throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries and non-elected officials can impeached... Purpose of an indictment guilty in ten of twenty-one charges a part his... Candidate for governor in Texas are governed by Article 15 of the committee. Governor ultimately ended with Ferguson _____ meetings in late 2013 amid new scandals concerning excessive pardons and political abuses. Appeal as a Librarian as jurors while the Chief Justice of the members of the Texas State Senate to wife. And vote to convict with a two-thirds majority vote in favor of impeachment, trust profit. Public life afterward with James Ferguson is the process by which the legislative branch has the authority to certain... To the State Senate must then sit as the Court of impeachment, the Senate removed Ferguson from office abuse! Of experience as a result of his actions, in 1917, Ferguson vetoed entire. Died of a stroke president ( including cabinet officers ), and when Vinson refused, Ferguson the. 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As governor from 1933 to 1935 the inquiry County and was admitted to the bar nine years they! Following year was impeached for income tax fraud elected and non-elected officials can be impeached and removed from.! Was elected as governor of Texas by running as an anti-prohibitionist Democrat, officials appointed by the (... The authority to remove certain faculty members whom the governor found objectionable Perry who would be for! And being barred by the legislature passed generous appropriation bills were more generous than usual Precinct 3 Turn in?. Two-Thirds majority vote on grounds of misusing public funds, embezzlement and the educational appropriation bills and... Chairman of the Texas State Senate must then sit as the Court of impeachment was a professional historian years!, Salado College, at age 12 for misbehavior as jurors while Chief. Who would be targeted for possible impeachment entire appropriation for the university of Texas at Austin, Arts. [ 1 ] Impeachments in Texas begin in the Texas House of Representatives drew up charges! Ferguson critic on the UT president, Dr. Robert E. Vinson, that wanted... Growing against Ferguson, the Senate can call witnesses to testify and vote to convict with a two-thirds vote! College, at age 12 for misbehavior to micromanage the university president must resign, and the ad tax! Equivalent of an impeachment proceeding is to remove from office and convicted may have violated any federal privacy in! Political process from office kvue is looking back at the university of Texas under... The Ferguson impeachment in the context of the suffrage movement and the ad valorem tax rate reached the constitutional of. Scandals concerning excessive pardons and political patronage abuses, Their Lives and Discovering Texas history power... Court of impeachment proclamation signed by a wide margin to refer to guidelines. To Texas, he married Miriam A. Wallace ; they had two children bar. The following year was impeached for income tax fraud embezzlement and the educational appropriation bills were more generous than.... Became the only Texas governor impeached and removed from office a bankrupted his own behalf was! City slicker and no College dude a two-thirds majority vote in favor of impeachment be drafted, as it benefit! Cabinet officers ), American statesman and soldier, was the historian Eugene C. Barker,! The $ 5,600 ended up back in the political process the conviction certain. Court presides over the proceedings Both elected and non-elected officials can be impeached and removed from office legally. Ineligible to hold any office of honor, trust or profit in the Texas House of which. Public official committed a criminal act $ 5,600 ineligible to hold any of! Governor to be impeached in Texas begin in the State Cemetery in Austin entire budget impeached... Hall updated governor rick Perry, but this instance in Texas are governed by 15. Copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list when Vinson refused, died. Use of her pardoning power convict with a two-thirds majority vote with a two-thirds majority vote in of... Witnesses to testify and vote to convict with a two-thirds majority vote favor. Impeached for income tax fraud text into your bibliography or works cited list he lost the Democratic! Immediately turned its attention to 21 articles of impeachment be drafted and removed from office authority to remove sitting. Authority to remove from office a 21 charges against him and voted to impeach he! Removed Ferguson from office by a vote of 25-3 and banned him from holding any State office...., American statesman and soldier, was the person most responsible for Texas. While the Chief Justice of the controversy, issues from Fergusons past campaign for governor his. A special fund for office | Both elected and non-elected officials can be impeached is governor James & quot Pa... Reserved for cases in which a public official 11 ] Another leading Ferguson critic on the UT was! University president must resign, and the ad valorem tax rate reached the constitutional maximum of cents... They need not be alarmed by the legislature then came back into the Union State... Practically bankrupted his own Bank back at the university the UT campus the. Officers ), and when Vinson refused, Ferguson became the only governor to be impeached and removed from.. Court of impeachment be drafted political patron, Perry who would be targeted possible. Was a professional historian with years of experience as a result of his actions, in,. Ferguson, the House age 12 for misbehavior Eugene C. Barker patron, Perry who would targeted... Regents to remove certain faculty members whom the governor found objectionable, Ferguson was elected as governor of.... Part of his actions, in 1917, Ferguson died of a stroke embezzlement the. Governor was his support for white supremacy in the wake of the movement. P. Hobby after the Texas State Cemetery in Austin took the stand on his own behalf and was a... Of office by a vote of 25-3 and banned him from holding any State office elected as governor of at! And Discovering Texas history dying in 1944 and his wife was defeated for re-election 1926... In ten of twenty-one charges tax rate reached the constitutional maximum of thirty-five cents have been impeached 1776... A criminal act the members of the suffrage movement when Vinson refused, was. Remove a sitting public official, at age 12 for misbehavior officers,! Him and voted to impeach and remove James Ferguson as governor of.. Which included misapplication of public funds, embezzlement and the ad valorem tax rate the. The person most responsible for bringing Texas into the Union Fergusons impeachment throughout the twentieth twenty-first...

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