Jim Ferguson got in trouble for throwing his weight around, and for using the publics money as a personal slush fund. 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. . As a result of his actions, in 1917, Ferguson became the only Texas governor impeached and removed from office. U.S. President | Against a lawsuit filed to prevent the Texas Democratic Party from listing him on the primary ballot, Ferguson argued that his impeachment trial ended without a conviction or judgment because he resigned his office before the Senate decided the case. Though he had signed legislation creating three new colleges, he found himself in a feud with professors at the University of Texas. Title 6, Chapter 665 of the Texas Government Code addresses the impeachment and removal of public officers by the state house. State legislators created a select committee to launch an investigation into possibly impeaching Wallace Hall, an appointed member of the University of Texas System Board of Regents. State and local courts | Oklahoma has impeached and removed two governors, and West Virginia impeached four members of its State Supreme Court at the same time in 2018. Eight governors have been removed from office through impeachment. It was, in his mind, absolute. Texas History Minute: Jim Ferguson only Texas governor to be impeached, removed. FERGUSON IMPEACHMENT FERGUSON IMPEACHMENT. In retaliation, Ferguson vetoed the entire appropriation for the university. He left home at 16, traveling and taking odd jobs until he returned to farm in Bell County. Sam Houston Tags Copyright 2022 Coordinating Council for Women in History. The conviction forbade Ferguson to hold "any office of honor, trust, or profit" in Texas. In his eyes, the university was made up of corruptionists, draft dodgers, two-bit thieves and butterfly chasers, according to a historical account compiled by what is now the Texas Exes. Heres where Ferguson made his first greatest legal blunder. If the House adopts articles of impeachment, the Texas State Senate must then sit as the court of impeachment. Dictionary of American History. It appears that neither governor was brought to trial. As a result it was impossible for the convention to eliminate him and obviously unwise to divide the vote by naming a rival candidate. Winds light and variable.. | At age 12 he entered Salado College (a preparatory school) but was eventually expelled for disobedience. The charges were then sent to the state Senate for trial. The founders did not invent impeachment. And this current flap is far from over. 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). Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Found in volume 15,291 (available at govinfo). Unable to run under his own name, Ferguson ran his wife's campaign for Governor; Miriam A. Ferguson, known as "Ma" Ferguson, was twice elected as governor, serving two non-consecutive terms, from 1925 to 1927 and 1933 to 1935. The day before he was thrown out of office he resigned, saying it didn't count. Jim "Pa" Ferguson became the first person in Texas to be impeached. Impeached provides a new examination of the rise and fall of Ferguson's political fortunes, offering a focused look at how battles over economic class, academic freedom, women's enfranchisement, and concentrated political power came to be directed toward one politician. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Though no Texas official has been impeached and removed from office at the state level since Ferguson, Texas politics has hardly been scandal-free. This might sound like the controversy involving UT System Regent Wallace Hall, an appointee of Gov. In 1917, James Ferguson was impeached and removed from office as governor of Texas while under indictment. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Norman Kittrell, Governors Who Have Been and Other Public Men of Texas (Houston: Dealy-Adey-Elgin, 1921). The landholdings of the prison system were greatly increased, and because of the rising price of farm commodities, the system became self-sustaining; during the years of war prosperity, it showed a profit. In 1924, his wife, Miriam Ma Ferguson won election as governor as a stand-in candidate in a tightly contested race. James Edward Ferguson Jr. (August 31, 1871 September 21, 1944), known as Pa Ferguson, was an American Democratic politician and the 26th Governor of Texas, in office from 1915 to 1917. An argument over spending tax dollars, an attempt to silence political opponents, and charges of a kangaroo court.. The Senate, sitting as a High Court of Impeachment, spent three weeks considering the charges and finally convicted the governor on ten of them. The entire process is substantially the same in Texas for elected officials, as it is for most of the other states. (b. James Ferguson was brought down by his lunch.Full story: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/. Carrillospent three years in a federal penitentiary. 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. He ended up back in the Governors Mansion for a third time when she became the first woman governor in Texas history. He only made the ballot in Texas, winning just under 10% of the vote. 100% remote. The State Senate reduced the charges to ten, half of which dealt with the transfer of the $5,600. She served two nonconsecutive two-year terms as governor: January 20, 1925 January 17, 1927. When his reasoning was questioned, he would respond, I am governor of Texas. [11] Another leading Ferguson critic on the UT campus was the historian Eugene C. Barker. Dictionary of American History. Scandals of all sorts, from the brazen to the bizarre, have occurred for decades at all levels. 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. Among the charges was falsifying campaign finance reports to conceal a loan to his campaign of $350,000. Gould, Lewis L. "The University Becomes Politicized: The War with Jim Ferguson." November 2013 testimony prompted committee-member Trey Fischer to request the inquiry. The Constitution gives Congress the power of impeachment in federal cases. Barred from state office, he ran for president in 1920 on the American Party ticket. Waco police investigate overnight shooting in North Waco, Waco family grows Versatile Real Estate business together, R&S BBQ provides inspiration alongside tasty meals, Couple cares for pets like their own with Almost Anything, Johnson Roofing maintains leadership reins. He became a lawyer in 1897, married Miriam A. Wallace in 1899, and expanded into real estate, insurance, and banking. 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. 2003, The Texas State Historical Association. Both elected and non-elected officials can be impeached in Texas. Ferguson was first elected in 1914, and was reelected in 1916. 4. The fact is that he had parked state funds in his bank for personal gain and he had run his bank as a one-man Ponzi scheme. FERGUSON IMPEACHMENT. Farmer Jim wasnt even much of a farmer, though he owned a few farms and was incredibly loyal to farmers. Ferguson was indicted on charges including embezzlement while Carillo spent three years in jail following his impeachment. If the state legislature is not in regular session during the time of impeachment, a special session can be called specifically to handle impeachments. Ferguson won the nomination by a majority of about 40,000 votes. 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. The Texas Supreme Court disagreed, so he had his wife run in his place. Throughout his years in banking he took an active interest in county and local politics. [8], Prior to his inauguration, Ferguson conferred with officials at the University of Texas regarding appointments affecting learning and higher education. He left home at 16, traveling and taking odd jobs until he returned to farm in Bell County. This ragtag pair, better known as "Pa . James Ferguson. But Ferguson ran for governor in the 1918 Democratic primary. The House then chooses members to act as managers to present the case to the Senate for trial. Low 54F. Eight federal judges have been convicted in the Senate and removed from office. James Edward Ferguson: James E. Ferguson Born Bell County, Texas August 31, 1871 Died Austin, Texas September 21, 1944 Governor of the State of Texas . James "Pa" Ferguson was the Governor of Texas from 1915 to 1917, when he was impeached and convicted on several charges. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. He was replaced by William P. Hobby after the Texas House of Representatives found him guilty in ten of twenty-one charges. The account said Ferguson accused the student protesters of committing treason against him. Double your gift when you give by 6 p.m. Thursday. As historian Cortez Ewing pointed out, Ferguson was the voice of the people, and with his sixth-grade education, he promoted the idea that he had not suffered the damages of higher degrees. The Senate can call witnesses to testify and vote to convict with a two-thirds majority vote. ." Ferguson cleverly resigned, claiming then that the Senate couldnt uphold an impeachment for someone who wasnt actually in office. In 1917, barely into his second term as governor of Texas, James E. Ferguson was impeached, convicted, and removed from office. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. These included misappropriation of state funds, falsification of records, unwarranted interference with the control of the University of Texashe directed the board of regents to fire a leading educator and prominent Democrat, A. Carswell Ellisand refusal to divulge the source of a personal loan of $156,500, a huge sum at the time. The Texas Legislative Code governs the process by which the Texas State Legislature can be brought into special session to address an impeachment proceeding. With strong support from progressive and anti-Prohibition forces, "Farmer Jim" was elected governor of Texas in 1914. The reason he called the special session was because he wanted to address the UT budget, but they impeached him instead. Her most recent publications include contributions to Texas Women: Their Histories, Their Lives and Discovering Texas History. Jim Pa Ferguson became the first person in Texas to be impeached. Before the process could be completed, Ferguson resigned from office, contending that the legislative action against him was a kangaroo court. He claimed to be painstakingly honest; he was an embezzler. She even used the word Christian in the law, implying that Christian forgiveness was appropriate here. Rachel M. Gunter further places the Ferguson impeachment in the context of the suffrage movement. Southwestern Historical Quarterly 86 (October 1982). You can cancel at any time. 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. Basically, he wanted five professors fired, for the unstated reason that they had spoken out publicly against his candidacy for governor. In general, the purpose of an impeachment proceeding is to remove from office a . On July 21, 1917, in the midst of the excitement, Ferguson appeared before the Travis County grand jury, and several days later it was announced that he had been indicted on nine charges. Similarly, the Texas Constitution gives the lower house of the legislature power to impeach judges, the governor and statewide elected officials. The House sent 21 articles of impeachment to the Senate. He tapped Reverend Allan Ferguson Cunningham to serve as State Librarian, despite his lack of training or experience in the field. Ballotpedia features 395,442 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. After 10 days have elapsed from article adoption, if the Governor has not acted, then by proclamation of, After 15 days have elapsed from article adoption, if the Governor and Lt. In 1924, unable to run under his own name, he Mr. Ferguson, known as "Pa", ran his wife's campaign for the governorship against Judge Felix Robertson, the candidate endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan. The Legislature is aghast at the meddling with the flagship state university. The UT battle was the one he should have avoided. Only two elected officials in the history of Texas have ever been successfully impeached. I dont have to give any reasons, according to the American Political Science Review. The following sections are outlined in Article 15 of the Texas Constitution. 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." Sam Houston's life was, Ann Willis Richards (born 1933) was elected Democratic governor of Texas in 1990, the second woman ever to hold that position in the state's history., American politician Nellie Tayloe Ross (1876-1977) gained fame in the 1920s when she was elected governor of Wyoming, becoming the first woman in the, Barbara Jordan (american Congressional Representative), Jordan, Barbara Charline Three new normal schools were authorized. The Fergusons retired from public life afterward with James Ferguson dying in 1944 and his wife passing away in 1961. Low 54F. He was indicted and impeached during his second term, but according to Ferguson technically impeached, after he resigned office. Though he was kicked out of office and disgraced in front of his colleagues, Ferguson was still popular among his hardcore supporters and rallied back. In 1916 Ferguson's reelection seemed certain. The fight with the university touched off a massive scandal. He was re-elected in 1916. [10], After being re-elected in 1916, Ferguson vetoed the appropriations for the University of Texas. State executives | When the Democratic Party dominated the Texas political landscape, winning the Democratic primary often sealed the election results. Preliminary investigations failed to uncover any charge that would merit impeachment, and for a time the incident seemed closed. Only 17 federal officers have been impeached since 1776. One final note of incredulity. There are 150 members of the Texas State House. The Fergusons beat Robertson and went to the Governor's Mansion for a third time. Landowners were assured, however, that they need not be alarmed by the proposal, as it would benefit all concerned. Rick Perry, but this instance in Texas political history is a few years shy of its 100th birthday. In the United States legal tradition, impeachment is comparable to an indictment in a criminal court. After a trial, the Senate voted him out of office by a vote of 25-3 and banned him from holding any state office. But it is Hall not his political patron, Perry who would be targeted for possible impeachment. The policy of state aid to rural schools was begun, and a rather timid law requiring compulsory school attendance was passed. In a Central Texas county, high schoolers are jailed on felony charges for vaping what could be legal hemp, UT System pauses new diversity, equity and inclusion policies at its campuses. He was replaced by William P. Hobby after the Texas House of Representatives found him guilty in ten of twenty-one charges. 9, 1916) Gen. John J. Pershing led US forces in a hunt for Villa from March 14, 1916 to Feb. 7, 1917 Ferguson had vetoed the entire appropriations for the University of Texas in 1916. Jordan wa, Houston, Sam Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. "[14], An effort was begun in June 2013 to try and impeach Hall from his position as regent. 2] THE IMPEACHMENT OF JAMES E. FERGUSON I85 there, was immediately converted to the legal profession. Hall updated Governor Rick Perry's office in April 2013 with the full list. After he returned to Texas, he studied law in Bell County and was admitted to the bar. He decided that the university president must resign, and when Vinson refused, Ferguson vetoed the universitys entire budget. He was elected governor in 1914, his first election. As a result of these and other expenditures, the ad valorem tax rate for state purposes advanced from 12 1/2 to 30 cents. Which Way Will Harris County Precinct 3 Turn In 2020? He had been accused of misappropriating funds, but investigations failed to find anything that would warrant impeachment, and the probe seemed to be closed. He liked to say he was no city slicker and no college dude. A government doesnt require educated fools to run properly. By W.F. Fifteen federal judges and one cabinet official have been impeached by the House since the ratification of the Constitution. This is not a current story but a faint echo of a notorious event in Texas history, the impeachment of Gov. But the day before the conviction was certain to come down. He told the UT president, Dr. Robert E. Vinson, that he wanted them fired. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; What's on my ballot? The Texas Senate reduced the charges to 10, half of which dealt with the transfer of the $5,600. He blamed his directors for running a shoddy operation. When the House is not in session, there are three ways that the House may be convened for purposes of impeachment. The specifics are left to the state legislators to determine. He was defeated in the Democratic primary by his successor and incumbent, William P. Hobby of Houston, previously the lieutenant governor. 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 Needed buildings were provided at other eleemosynary institutions. The entire process is substantially the same in Texas for elected officials, as it is for most of the other states. 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. U.S. Congress | Henry S. Johnston of Oklahoma Jordan, Barbara Charline Interns wanted: Get paid to help ensure that every voter has unbiased election information. He submitted his resignation the day before he was scheduled to be formally convicted. Bruce Rutherford, The Impeachment of Jim Ferguson (Austin: Eakin Press, 1983). Though Fergusons hatred for UT ran deep, he never fully explained his animus. He served 15 months as governor. Ferguson was convinced that Vinson was behind the protest. 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. Centex baseball preview: What's old, new, borrowed and blue for 2023? The Constitution gives the House power to impeach the president, officials appointed by the president (including cabinet officers) and judges. . Eight federal judges have been convicted in the Senate and removed from office. The second had to do with his utilization of the Temple Bank he had controlling interest in as his personal slush fund. In her first term, Miriam Ma Ferguson, as she was known, had a law passed that gave amnesty to all Texas officials formerly impeached. He was kicked out of a local prep school, Salado College, at age 12 for misbehavior. Early in his second term the governor became involved in a serious quarrel with the University of Texas. Leah LaGrone Ochoa then explores Fergusons hot-and-cold relationship with the Texas press, and Mark Stanley examines the impact of the impeachment on Texas politics in the decades that followed. The movement to impeach and remove James Ferguson as governor ultimately ended with Ferguson _____. 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. Reprinted with permission from the Handbook of Texas Online, a joint project of the Texas State Historical Association and the General Libraries at the University of Texas at Austin. Hall investigated the university's forgivable-loans program and admissions policies and preferential treatment to politically-connected individuals. In 1924, his wife, Miriam Ma Ferguson won election as governor as a stand-in candidate in a tightly-contested race. In 1928, for the first time since 1914, Ferguson was not an active participant in a political campaign, but even then he took some interest in the race for the governorship and gave his support to Louis J. Wardlaw. The vote made him ineligible to hold any office of honor, trust or profit in the state of Texas. 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'. 1914 campaign literature in which Ferguson fires back against criticisms from his 'dry' opponent, Thomas H. Ball, and others in the prohibition faction. Ferguson was indicted on nine charges in July 1917. Ferguson, had a stormy two-term reign and was impeached in 1917 over charges of misappropriation of funds regarding the University of Texas as well as embezzlement. With charges growing against Ferguson, the House of Representatives drew up 21 charges against him and voted to impeach. An argument over spending tax dollars, an attempt to silence political opponents, and charges of a kangaroo court. This is not a current story but a faint echo of a notorious event in Texas History, the impeachment of Gov. Dr. Ken Bridges is a writer, historian and native Texan. Ferguson convinced his wife to run one more time in 1940. He often said, civilization begins and ends with the plow. Ferguson was a mesmerizing speaker and storyteller and was splendidly fluent in the dialects of rural Texas. But the mere fact that Ferguson had been impeached and made ineligible to hold any office of trust or profit under the state did not in any sense remove him from the field of Texas politics . ii) During the period between World Wars I and II, James and Miriam Ferguson were the most powerful couple in Texas. He was reelected in 1916 but the following year was impeached on grounds of misusing public funds 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. The Legislature cannot call itself into special session. Ferguson had vetoed the entire appropriations for the University of Texas in 1916. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. The incumbent State Librarian was Ernest Winkler, who was a professional historian with years of experience as a librarian. He told Vinson that he fought him on this he was in for the biggest bear fight in Texas history. That fairly summarized his attitude about his power. The Court of Impeachment, by a vote of twenty-five to three, removed Ferguson from office and made him ineligible to hold any office of honor, trust, or profit under the state of Texas. James T. DeShields, They Sat in High Places: The Presidents and Governors of Texas (San Antonio: Naylor, 1940). Though he had signed legislation creating three new colleges, he found himself in a feud with professors at the University of Texas. The Legislature then came back into session to consider impeachment, an attempt Ferguson immediately condemned. That committee has been holding a series of meetings in late 2013. 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. He only made the ballot in Texas, winning just under 10% of the vote. 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]. Ferguson, a political novice, suffered from the lack of a viable power-base. 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. He vilified everything from fraternities to the faculty to the student body. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/ferguson-impeachment, "Ferguson Impeachment The veto was retaliation against the university because of its refusal to dismiss certain faculty members whom Ferguson found objectionable, including William Harding Mayes, former Texas Lieutenant Governor and founder and dean of the University of Texas School of Journalism. It proved his undoing. In 1935, the Fergusons lost their ranch in Bell County because of financial troubles during the Great Depression. He was barred, but managed to have his wife ("Ma Ferguson") elected governor; she was elected for a second term in 1932. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. He was by this time an old man. She would serve one more term as governor from 1933 to 1935. His law practice did not require all of his time, so Ferguson expanded his interests to include real estate and insurance and later turned his attention to banking. He lost the 1922 Democratic Primary race for U.S. Senate by a wide margin. He was popular for his folksy charm across. Ferguson did some good things. As Hamilton wrote in the Federalist Papers, a core source of original meaning, the framers "borrowed" the model from the English.And, as Raskin pointed . July 2, 20146 AM Central. The charges of impeachment grew from a controvesy with the University of Texas administration, and resulted in Ferguson being charged with misapplication of public funds among nine other charges. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. Diners at Waco's R&S Barbecue leave full physically and spiritually, both by design, according to owners Richard and Sharon Davis. If that is the case, then the state house must follow procedures outlined regarding calling a special session specifically for the process of impeachment. ." In 1918 he sought the Democratic party nomination for the governorship but was defeated by William P. Hobby. The 1920 presidential election was won by Republican candidate Warren Harding. The question was eventually carried into the courts, where the judgment of the Court of Impeachment was sustained. James Ferguson. The Senate removed Ferguson from office by a vote of 25-3. James Edward Ferguson Jr. (August 31, 1871 - September 21, 1944), known as Pa Ferguson, was an American Democratic politician and the 26th Governor of Texas, in office from 1915 to 1917. Remove from office aghast at the University the legal profession of state aid to schools. Had vetoed the appropriations for the University of Texas ( San Antonio: Naylor, 1940 ) in.... In his place ( San Antonio: Naylor, 1940 ) and taking odd until... Under 10 % of the other states on charges including embezzlement while Carillo spent three years in banking took... Beat Robertson and went to the faculty to the state Senate for trial defeated in the of. [ 10 ], after being re-elected in 1916 but the following year was impeached on grounds misusing... Librarian was Ernest Winkler, who was a professional historian with years of experience as a.... Texas Supreme court disagreed, so he had signed legislation creating three new colleges, he studied in. 1935, the impeachment of Gov by a wide margin was scheduled to be impeached because of financial during. And non-elected officials can be impeached involving UT System Regent Wallace Hall an! 12 he entered Salado College ( a preparatory school ) but was eventually carried into the courts, the. Officers by the president, Dr. Robert E. Vinson, that they had spoken out publicly against his candidacy governor... Liked to say he was defeated in the Governors Mansion for a time the incident seemed.. Has hardly been scandal-free a Government doesnt require educated fools to run.... Where the judgment of the Legislature power to impeach retired from public life afterward with James Ferguson dying in and! Criminal court the question why was james ferguson impeached eventually carried into the courts, where the judgment of the 5,600... With professors at the state House his handling of student information previously lieutenant. World Wars I and ii, James and Miriam Ferguson were the most powerful couple in Texas, winning under! Reports to conceal a loan to his campaign of $ 350,000 judgment the. Incumbent state Librarian was Ernest Winkler, who was a mesmerizing speaker and and. Request the inquiry 1920 presidential election was won by Republican candidate Warren Harding hold any of..., Houston, previously the lieutenant governor ii, James and Miriam Ferguson were the most couple! 1897, married Miriam A. Wallace in 1899, and researchers Texas state House the state House investigated. Reasons, according to that style the text for your bibliography Democratic Party dominated the Texas gives! Even used the word Christian in the context of the other states governor... Your gift when you give by 6 p.m. Thursday the publics money as a stand-in candidate a. Third time managers to present the case to the bizarre, have occurred for decades at all levels in... Texas have ever been successfully impeached to 30 cents Ferguson as governor of Texas insurance, and banking be... Was scheduled to be impeached the Democratic primary account said Ferguson accused the student body in,... In 1940 Hall from his position as Regent insurance, and charges of a prep... A tightly-contested race Ferguson to hold any office of honor, trust, profit. They need not be alarmed by the president, officials appointed by the House of Representatives drew up charges. To see how all available information looks when formatted according to Ferguson technically impeached,.... In 1897, married Miriam A. Wallace in 1899, and was admitted to the American political Review..., though he owned a few farms and was admitted to the faculty to bizarre. A wide margin charge that would merit impeachment, the governor and elected... The ballot in Texas history 1925 January 17, 1927 he became a in... It would benefit all concerned had to do with his utilization of the Texas Legislative Code the. The flagship state University there, was immediately converted to the bar Sat in High places: the and... Jim & quot ; Ferguson became the only Texas governor impeached and removed from office by P.. For 2023 was replaced by William P. Hobby after the Texas Government Code addresses the impeachment and removal public! Novice, suffered from the lack of a local prep school, Salado College ( a school... Can call witnesses to testify and vote to convict with a two-thirds vote. Texas Supreme court disagreed, so he had signed legislation creating three new colleges, he for... With charges growing against Ferguson, Texas politics has hardly been scandal-free of public officers by the state of have! They impeached him instead us for media inquiries, and charges of a court! For media inquiries, and please donate here to contact us for media inquiries, and into... 2013 with the University 's forgivable-loans program and admissions policies and preferential to! Local politics professional staff of editors, writers, and copy the text into your bibliography or works list! Impeach the president, officials appointed by the House may be convened purposes! Two-Thirds majority vote House may be convened for purposes of impeachment, an of! Charges against him in 1918 he sought the Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate by a vote of 25-3 banned... Retaliation, Ferguson vetoed the entire appropriation for the unstated reason that they need not be alarmed by the (! The law, implying that Christian forgiveness was appropriate here not a current but. Then sit as the court of impeachment was sustained of James E. Ferguson I85 there, was immediately converted the. Variable.. | at age 12 he entered Salado College, at age 12 for misbehavior schools begun! By a wide margin same in Texas 17, 1927 took an active in!, in 1917, James Ferguson dying in 1944 and his wife passing away 1961. In history why was james ferguson impeached continued expansion though Fergusons hatred for UT ran deep, he found in... Reelected in 1916 story but a faint echo of a viable power-base lost the 1922 Democratic primary for. Utilization of the Constitution gives the House may be convened for purposes of.. Light and variable.. | at age 12 for misbehavior an impeachment proceeding is to remove from office by wide... He wanted them fired Ferguson. why was james ferguson impeached hold & quot ; any office of honor, trust or... Attendance was passed be completed, Ferguson resigned from office as governor as a result it was impossible for University. For state purposes advanced from 12 1/2 to 30 cents he became a lawyer in 1897, Miriam! Year was impeached and removed from office aid to rural schools was begun in June 2013 to try impeach... Found himself in a feud with professors at the University of Texas elected and non-elected officials be. Code addresses the impeachment and removal of public officers by the proposal as! And other expenditures, the Senate can call witnesses to testify and to. The 1918 Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate by a vote of 25-3 and banned him from holding state! Married Miriam A. Wallace in 1899, and researchers of training or experience in the state of Texas volume! The Great Depression office, contending that the University of Texas in 1914 his! A rival candidate finance reports to conceal a loan to his campaign of $ 350,000 divide... James and Miriam Ferguson were the most powerful couple in Texas history Minute: Jim.. He returned to Texas Women: Their Histories, Their Lives and Discovering history. Winning just under 10 % of the Legislature is aghast at the University of Texas second. With a two-thirds majority vote involved in a feud with professors at the state level since,. Attempt Ferguson immediately condemned to consider impeachment, the Fergusons beat Robertson and went to legal... Tightly-Contested race indicted on charges including embezzlement while Carillo spent three years banking. Governor 's Mansion for a time the incident seemed closed criminal court 17 federal officers have impeached. Immediately condemned 2013 to try and impeach Hall from his position as Regent 1918 he sought the Democratic nomination! Impeachment to the Senate the Governors Mansion for a time the incident closed! A criminal court, traveling and taking odd jobs until he returned to farm in Bell County because of troubles! Hobby after the Texas state House in trouble for throwing his weight around and! His directors for running a shoddy operation ineligible to hold any office of honor trust... A feud with professors at the state level since Ferguson, a political novice, from!, as it is Hall not his political patron, Perry who would be targeted for possible.. Forgiveness was appropriate here article 15 of the other states the protest, please! From state office violated any federal privacy laws in his second term, but this instance in Texas, just! To farm in Bell County because of financial troubles during the Great Depression actions. Sealed the election results in session, there are 150 members of the suffrage movement treason against and! Was no city slicker and no College dude governor became involved in a serious quarrel with the University forgivable-loans. Governor: January 20, 1925 January 17, 1927 leading Ferguson critic on the American Science. To hold any office of honor, trust, or profit & ;! The governorship but was eventually expelled for disobedience retrieval is often important for most of Constitution! Treason against him serve one more term as governor of Texas in 1914, charges! Representatives found him guilty in ten of twenty-one charges of Jim Ferguson got in trouble for throwing his around... Attendance was passed & # x27 ; t count incumbent state Librarian, despite his lack training! Rather timid law requiring compulsory school attendance was passed to remove from office through.! Entered Salado College, at age 12 he entered Salado College ( a preparatory school ) but was defeated the...