Impeachments of Federal Officials
Source: Congressional Directory
The procedure for the impeachment of federal officials is detailed in Article
I, Section 3, of the Constitution. The Senate has sat as a court of impeachment
in the following cases:
- William Blount, senator from Tennessee; charges dismissed
for want of jurisdiction, Jan. 14, 1799.
- John Pickering, judge of the U.S. District Court for New
Hampshire; removed from office March 12, 1804.
- Samuel Chase, associate justice of the Supreme Court;
acquitted March 1, 1805.
- James H. Peck, judge of the U.S. District Court for
Missouri; acquitted Jan. 31, 1831.
- West H. Humphreys, judge of the U.S. District Court for
the middle, eastern, and western districts of Tennessee; removed from office
June 26, 1862.
- Andrew Johnson, president of the United States; acquitted
May 26, 1868.
- William W. Belknap, secretary of war; acquitted Aug. 1,
1876.
- Charles Swayne, judge of the U.S. District Court for the
northern district of Florida; acquitted Feb. 27, 1905.
- Robert W. Archbald, associate judge, U.S. Commerce Court;
removed Jan. 13, 1913.
- George W. English, judge of the U.S. District Court for
eastern district of Illinois; resigned Nov. 4, 1926; proceedings dismissed.
- Harold Louderback, judge of the U.S. District Court for
the northern district of California; acquitted May 24, 1933.
- Halsted L. Ritter, judge of the U.S. District Court for
the southern district of Florida; removed from office April 17, 1936.
- Harry E. Claiborne, judge of the U.S. District Court for
the district of Nevada; removed from office Oct. 9, 1986.
- Alcee L. Hastings, judge of the U.S. District Court for
the southern district of Florida; removed from office Oct. 20, 1988.
- Walter L. Nixon, judge of the U.S. District Court for
Mississippi; removed from office Nov. 3, 1989.
- William J. Clinton, president of the United States;
acquitted Feb. 12, 1999.
- Samuel B. Kent, judge of U.S. District Court for the southern
district of Texas; resigned on June 30, 2009