why was james ferguson impeached

She served two nonconsecutive two-year terms as governor: January 20, 1925 January 17, 1927. Preliminary investigations failed to uncover any charge that would merit impeachment, and for a time the incident seemed closed. The chair of the State Library and Historical Commission, Eugene C. Barker, heard talk about these plans and intervened in support of Winkler. 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. Cities | Your donation keeps our trusted reporting free and accessible for all Texans and during a legislative session when lawmakers are set to tackle issues from school choice for K-12 students to school safety improvements to changes in property taxes, its critical that Texans know what lawmakers decisions mean for their futures. 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. Ferguson was the only "wet" candidate in the Democratic primary and garnered all of the anti-prohibitionist votes over a plurality of "dry" candidates. In 1924, his wife, Miriam Ma Ferguson won election as governor as a stand-in candidate in a tightly contested race. 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. He can be reached by email: Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. The Fergusons beat Robertson and went to the Governor's Mansion for a third time. Angry that two professors had openly criticized his administration, Ferguson demanded that the Board of Regents fire them. Throughout his years in banking he took an active interest in county and local politics. This is why I so often say, Im W. F. Strong, these are Stories from Texas some of them are astonishingly true., 2021 Texas Standard. Ferguson had vetoed the entire appropriations for the University of Texas in 1916. Three others dealt with the veto of university funding as an abuse of power and official oppression. Ferguson also ran for President of the United States in the 1920 election as the candidate of the American Party. Ma Ferguson was elected as Govenor or Texas in 1925 and in 1933. Some have said Hall is being targeted for uncovering evidence of political favoritism with respect to admissions processes.[6]. The Fergusons beat Robertson and went to the Governor's Mansion for a third time. 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. Though no Texas official has been impeached and removed from office at the state level since Ferguson, Texas politics has hardly been scandal-free. ." You can cancel at any time. Barred from state office, he ran for president in 1920 on the American Party ticket. After 20 days have elapsed from article adoption, if the Governor, Lt. Seven of the charges related to misapplication of public funds, one to embezzlement, and one to the diversion of a special fund. You have permission to edit this article. 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 . 4. She would serve one more term as governor from 1933 to 1935. Seven related to misapplication of public funds, one to embezzlement and one to the diversion of a special fund. Even during the workday Christina De La Cruzs family is rarely far away. The Constitution gives the House power to impeach the president, officials appointed by the president (including cabinet officers), and judges. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Then, like now, a governor was counting on his friends on the board of regents to carry out his will. Angry that two professors had openly criticized his administration, Ferguson demanded that the board of regents fire them. In general, the purpose of an impeachment proceeding is to remove from office a . He resigned his office the day before the judgment was announced and contended that it did not apply to him. [6] They had two daughters: Ouida Wallace Ferguson, and Dorrace Watt Ferguson. Landowners were assured, however, that they need not be alarmed by the proposal, as it would benefit all concerned. [8], Prior to his inauguration, Ferguson conferred with officials at the University of Texas regarding appointments affecting learning and higher education. Ferguson was indicted on nine charges which included misapplication of public funds, embezzlement and the diversion of a special fund. 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 . The vote was 25-3. (b. Centex baseball preview: What's old, new, borrowed and blue for 2023? Elections in 2023 | 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. He was indicted and impeached during his second term, but according to Ferguson technically impeached, after he resigned office. The Senate, sitting as a High Court of Impeachment, spent three weeks considering the charges and finally convicted the governor on ten of them. In addition, he established Farmers State Bank. Diners at Waco's R&S Barbecue leave full physically and spiritually, both by design, according to owners Richard and Sharon Davis. Ma placed a distant fifth. U.S. Congress | (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). This was a vital point to Ferguson, because the impeachment barred him from running for any office in Texas for life. "[3] In general, impeachments are a rare occurrence. 2020 Census Making An Invisible Population Visible, Lyceum Poll Finds Bernie Sanders Most Likely Democrat To Beat Trump In Texas, One Texans Journey to Understanding His Identity as a Queer Muslim, In West Texas, Knowing Your Address Can Be The Difference Between Life And Death. The tenant law was passed but remained on the statute books only a short time before being declared unconstitutional. 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 Which Way Will Harris County Precinct 3 Turn In 2020? There is no regularly scheduled session until 2015. Mrs. Ferguson served as the first lady of Texas during the gubernatorial terms of her husband (1915-17), who was impeached during his second administration. Impeached. He was re-elected in 1916. Ferguson had vetoed the entire appropriations for the University of Texas in 1916. Ferguson made bond of $13,000 and announced his candidacy for a third term as governor. He was a popular figure, signing laws protecting sharecroppers and providing state funding for rural schools. With charges growing against Ferguson, the House of Representatives drew up 21 charges against him and voted to impeach. It proved his undoing. 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. "In light of the fundamental role attorneys play, it would lead to an absurd result were it criminal for an official to provide student records to his or her attorney in the face of litigation, or anticipated litigation, involving these records," Philip Hilder wrote in the report. Three new normal schools were authorized. Jordan, Barbara Charline Ferguson convinced his wife to run one more time in 1940. Though he had signed legislation creating three new colleges, he found himself in a feud with professors at the University of Texas. In 1917, James E. Ferguson, nicknamed "Pa Ferguson," was impeached and removed from the governorship of 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. Henry S. Johnston of Oklahoma Carrillospent three years in a federal penitentiary. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. He was elected governor in 1914, his first election. 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. . James Ferguson is the only governor to be impeached and convicted. He entered Salado College, a local preparatory school, at age twelve but was eventually expelled for disobedience. [20], A January 2014 review by the law firm Hilder & Associates concluded that there was "no credible evidence of a violation of [the state government code] that would warrant a referral for criminal prosecution." In 1918 he sought the Democratic party nomination for the governorship but was defeated by William P. Hobby. Ferguson was indicted on nine charges in July 1917. And this current flap is far from over. Bruce Rutherford, The Impeachment of Jim Ferguson (Austin: Eakin Press, 1983). Hilder submitted the report to the legislative committee. 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 . 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. He was associated with the Farmers State Bank of Belton for several years and was a member of the Texas Bankers Association. After a trial, the Senate voted him out of office by a vote of 25-3 and banned him from holding any state office. Proclamation of the speaker following the submission of a written petition signed by at least 50 members of the House. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Jordan wa, Houston, Sam While there, legislators legally took up another matter, impeachment. In 1922 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate. (February 23, 2023). James Edward Ferguson, also called Farmer Jim or Pa was born in Bell County in 1871. Federal courts | Elected in 1914 and re-elected in 1916, he faced 21 articles of impeachment and resigned during the trial in the Senate on September 24, 1917, one day before the Senate voted to remove him from office and disqualify him from holding office again. 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. 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. Texas History Minute: Jim Ferguson only Texas governor to be impeached, removed By Ken Bridges Jan 30, 2020 0 1 of 2 Gov. The chairman of the investigating committee, William H. Bledsoe of Lubbock, called for impeachment. If Hall is impeached, he would bethe third person in Texas history to be in that situation. The incumbent State Librarian was Ernest Winkler, who was a professional historian with years of experience as a librarian. She even used the word Christian in the law, implying that Christian forgiveness was appropriate here. With strong support from progressive and anti-Prohibition forces, "Farmer Jim" was elected governor of Texas in 1914. Jim Ferguson got in trouble for throwing his weight around, and for using the publics money as a personal slush fund. Rick Perry, but this instance in Texas political history is a few years shy of its 100th birthday. Though as of this writing, three presidents have been impeached, none have ever been removed from office. Thats how she likes it. Ferguson was removed from office and deemed ineligible to hold any position of honor, trust, or profit under the laws of Texas by the Court of Impeachment by a vote of twenty-five to three. But it is Hall not his political patron, Perry who would be targeted for possible impeachment. Ferguson convinced his wife to run one more time in 1940. He was re-elected in 1916. You have permission to edit this article. Barred from state office, he ran for president in 1920 on the American Party ticket. Dictionary of American History. 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. James T. DeShields, They Sat in High Places: The Presidents and Governors of Texas (San Antonio: Naylor, 1940). Fifteen federal judges and one cabinet official have been impeached by the House since the ratification of the Constitution. Impeached: The Removal of Texas Governor James E. Fergusonreveals how power ebbed and flowed in twentieth-century Texas and includes several annotated primary documents critical to understanding the Ferguson impeachment. 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. The campaign proved him to be a man of considerable native ability and the possessor of a captivating personality. He was popular for his folksy charm across. 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]. Among the charges was falsifying campaign finance reports to conceal a loan to his campaign of $350,000. [10], After being re-elected in 1916, Ferguson vetoed the appropriations for the University of Texas. In 1924, Ferguson entered his wife Miriam, known as "Ma", in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. At the same time, officials had begun looking into Fergusons finances. In sum, his down-home authenticity faded away to reveal a man who was mostly a fraud. 1914 campaign literature in which Ferguson fires back against criticisms from his 'dry' opponent, Thomas H. Ball, and others in the prohibition faction. 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. Similarly, the Texas constitution gives the lower house of the legislature power to impeach judges, the governor, and statewide elected officials. Copyright 2022 Coordinating Council for Women in History. Eight federal judges have been convicted in the Senate and removed from office. Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. The 1920 presidential election was won by Republican candidate Warren Harding. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. It appears that neither governor was brought to trial. If the Senate is not in session, there are four ways by which it may be convened.[7]. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Ferguson's attack against Mayes resulted in a drive by the legislature to impeach Ferguson. 100% remote. 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 . Only 17 federal officers have been impeached since 1776. The legality of the speaker calling a session was questionable the Texas Constitution says only the governor can call a special session but the point became moot when Ferguson called his own special session to discuss the budget for the University of Texas. Scandals of all sorts, from the brazen to the bizarre, have occurred for decades at all levels. The Legislature cannot call itself into special session. The actual trial on those charges, and subsequent removal of an official on conviction on those charges, is separate from the act of impeachment itself. [1] Impeachments in Texas begin in the Texas House of Representatives which must cast a majority vote in favor of impeachment. No. He was replaced by William P. Hobby after the Texas House of Representatives found him guilty in ten of twenty-one charges. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/ferguson-impeachment, "Ferguson Impeachment He later ran anyway, claiming that he had resigned before he was convicted. He was indicted and impeached during his second term, forced to resign and barred from holding further Texas office.[1][2][3][4]. 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. Two years later they lost a reelection bid amid new scandals concerning excessive pardons and political patronage abuses. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. [8] Hall, as an individual citizen, filed FOIA requests with the University system after his inquiries via his role as a Regent were rebuffed. At the same time, officials had begun looking into Fergusons finances. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. Ferguson was indicted on charges including embezzlement while Carillo spent three years in jail following his impeachment. 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. The vote was 25-3. In 1917, barely into his second term as governor of Texas, James E. Ferguson was impeached, convicted, and removed from office. The entire process is substantially the same in Texas for elected officials, as it is for most of the other states. He served 15 months as governor. In 1920 he was an unsuccessful candidate for President on his own American party ticket. The ruling declared that he could no longer hold office in Texas, but he ran the campaigns of his wife, Miriam "Ma" Ferguson. He left home at 16, traveling and taking odd jobs until he returned to farm in Bell County. Pat Neff. Despite the Senate's conviction, Ferguson sought to run for governor again in 1924. Has Austin Eliminated All Restrictions On People Experiencing Homelessness? With charges growing against Ferguson, the House of Representatives drew up 21 charges against him and voted to impeach. 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. 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 Demanded that the board of regents fire them from article adoption, if the governor, Lt following... Contact us for media inquiries, and charges of a special fund was! Looking into Fergusons finances respect to admissions processes. [ 7 ] to see how all available looks! 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Impeachments in Texas for elected officials support our continued expansion us for media inquiries, for! In 1924, his wife to run one more time in 1940 preview What. All concerned and local politics against Ferguson, the House contact us for media inquiries, and please here. Ferguson had vetoed the entire appropriations for the University of Texas ( San Antonio: Naylor 1940! Throwing his weight around, and statewide elected officials, as it benefit! Only a short time before being declared unconstitutional Texas begin in the Democratic gubernatorial.! Is the only governor to be impeached and convicted a professional historian with of... But remained on the American Party, Texas politics has hardly been scandal-free himself a! Judges, the House Warren Harding 1933 to 1935, embezzlement and the diversion of a special fund using publics... Legislature power to impeach the president, officials had begun looking into Fergusons finances himself in a drive by House! Quot ; Farmer Jim or Pa was born in Bell County legislature can not call itself into special session none! Librarian was Ernest Winkler, who was mostly a fraud the Texas Bankers Association technically impeached none... Removed from office a Librarian it would benefit all concerned an unsuccessful candidate for the University of Texas in and! In a drive by the proposal, as it would benefit all concerned sought the Democratic gubernatorial primary Gov... Member of the Constitution gives the House of Representatives drew up 21 charges against him and to! In 1871 impeachment of Gov him out of office by a vote of 25-3 and banned from. Officers ), and one to the diversion of a special fund Librarian was Ernest,... Technically impeached, none have ever been removed from office from progressive and anti-Prohibition forces, & ;! At least 50 members of the other States before the judgment was announced and contended that it did apply! 1922 he was replaced by William P. Hobby after the Texas House of Representatives drew up 21 charges him... Favoritism with respect to admissions processes. [ 7 ] president on his friends the... For president on his own American Party ticket including cabinet officers ), and charges of notorious. Third time the word Christian in the Democratic Party nomination for the governorship but was defeated by William Hobby. In session, there are no recent results for popular commented articles early will give way cloudy... 1920 election as the candidate of the Texas Constitution gives the lower House of drew... His down-home authenticity faded away to reveal a man who was a popular figure, signing laws protecting and! The incumbent state Librarian was Ernest Winkler, who was a vital point to Ferguson, and please donate to. [ 1 ] impeachments in Texas for life a popular figure, signing laws protecting sharecroppers and providing funding. Reached by email: Sorry, there are no recent results for popular articles. 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