Impeachment Attempts in U.S. History

Impeachment Attempts and Resolutions

• Josiah Quincy III introduced impeachment resolutions against President Thomas Jefferson in 1809, alleging a "high misdemeanor" for keeping Benjamin Lincoln in a customs position despite Lincoln's protests.
• The resolution faced opposition and was ultimately rejected by the House by a vote of 117-1, with Quincy as the lone supporter.
• Arguments against the resolution included that Jefferson's actions were not a high crime or misdemeanor and that there was no evidence of mismanagement.

Impeachment Attempts and Resignation during Impeachment Process

• A 1842 committee, headed by John Quincy Adams, condemned President John Tyler's veto of a tariff bill, stating that his actions warranted impeachment.
• The House accepted this report, implying impeachable offenses were committed by Tyler, in a 100–80 vote.
• John Botts introduced an impeachment resolution against Tyler, but it was defeated in a 127-83 vote.
• Tyler argued that the vote was a charge without an actual impeachment, denying his right to defend himself.

Investigations Without Impeachment

• In 1968, a petition to impeach President Lyndon B. Johnson for "military and political duplicity" was referred to the House Judiciary Committee, but no action was taken.

Inquiries Voted Down by the Full House

• In 2013, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on President Barack Obama, titled "The President's Constitutional Duty to Faithfully Execute the Laws."
• This was considered an attempt to justify impeachment proceedings, but no articles of impeachment were referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
• This made Obama the first president since Jimmy Carter without any articles of impeachment against him referred to the committee during his tenure.