Ferguson declared that the Legislature was nothing more than a kangaroo court," resigned a day before the official conviction, and was steadfast in his beliefs that the judgment didnt apply to him, according to Rutherford. 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. Bruce A. Glasrud is professor emeritus of history at California State University, East Bay, and retired dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Sul Ross State University. School districts | Almost a century later, the Ferguson impeachment presents both striking similarities and key differences to. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. In 1906, he sold Farmers bank and established Temple State Bank. When he was four years old, his father died. 9, 1916) Gen. John J. Pershing led US forces in a hunt for Villa from March 14, 1916 to Feb. 7, 1917 Jessica Brannon-Wranosky is the Distinguished Professor of Digital Humanities and History at Texas A&M UniversityCommerce. 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. When his reasoning was questioned, he would respond, I am governor of Texas. He was replaced by William P. Hobby after the Texas House of Representatives found him guilty in ten of twenty-one charges. 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). When the House is not in session, there are three ways that the House may be convened for purposes of impeachment. You are currently viewing a legacy feature of the Texas Politics Project website. The Senate can call witnesses to testify and vote to convict with a two-thirds majority vote. [11] Another leading Ferguson critic on the UT campus was the historian Eugene C. Barker. 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 . This is simply not true. Some legislators justified the impeachment on the grounds that Hall did not disclose several lawsuits that he was involved in when he originally completed his Regent background check. The Constitution gives Congress the power of impeachment in federal cases. He submitted his resignation the day before he was scheduled to be formally convicted. [5], On December 31, 1899, he married Miriam A. Wallace at her family home. Low 54F. 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. An effort was begun in 2013 to investigate the possibility of impeaching University of Texas Regent Wallace Hall. She would serve one more term as governor from 1933 to 1935. Democratic nominee James M. Cox won in Texas, where the white majority was voting solidly Democratic. In 1913, William Sulzer was impeached and removed from office as governor of New York. Ferguson was indicted on nine charges in July 1917. 23 Feb. 2023 . The Regents refused. (b. The chairman of the investigating committee, William H. Bledsoe of Lubbock, called for impeachment. [10], After being re-elected in 1916, Ferguson vetoed the appropriations for the University of Texas. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/ferguson-impeachment, "Ferguson Impeachment The Texas Legislative Code governs the process by which the Texas State Legislature can be brought into special session to address an impeachment proceeding. Meanwhile, Winkler fought for his job by enlisting the help of his colleagues. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Elementary school music teacher leaves $6M to Baylor, Former NFL star Chad Johnson says he saved money by living inside Cincinnati Bengals stadium for 2 years, Mike Copeland: Steak and Ale comeback; Paper plant progress; Bagby apartments; Gaines Booked Up, Lake on Waco Creek floated for park next to Floyd Casey development, Whizzbang's owner buys Health Camp with eye to preserving burger joint legacy, Waco Charter School to close after summer classes, Sheriff names man found dead of apparent gunshot in Golinda, La Vega, Fairfield girls know the way to San Antone, clinching state trips, Brothers continue dad's clear legacy at Freddy's Glass, Brice Cherry: Collen pushes all the right buttons in her best coaching performance yet, Olympic-winning pole vaulter, pastor Bob Richards dies at 97, The GOAT of tennis families lives in Groesbeck. [5], In 2013, the Texas State Legislature began an impeachment trial for Regent Wallace Hall. After all, he was known as Farmer Jim. 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. Jim Pa Ferguson became the first person in Texas to be impeached. Samuel Houston (1793-1863), American statesman and soldier, was the person most responsible for bringing Texas into the Union. In the wake of the controversy, issues from Fergusons past campaign for governor in 1916 came back into the spotlight. Kay Reed Arnold then follows the Ferguson story into the halls of academia at the University of Texaswhich Ferguson threatened to closesparking a fierce response by faculty, alumni, students, and, especially, the Womens Committee for Good Government. Legislators have accused Hall of abusing his power and targeting University of Texas, Austin President Bill Powers, while Hall maintains he was acting as a responsible regent investigating situations of clout and accountability problems within the University of Texas system. 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]. This might sound like the controversy involving UT System Regent Wallace Hall, an appointee of Gov. Copyright 2022 Coordinating Council for Women in History. General Libraries at the University of Texas at Austin, Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Services. He loaned himself so much money that he practically bankrupted his own bank. Ferguson, a political novice, suffered from the lack of a viable power-base. The colleges were permitted to begin building programs, and the educational appropriation bills were more generous than usual. Proclamation of the speaker following the submission of a written petition signed by at least 50 members of the House. Of course, her husband was the only one the amnesty applied to. Rachel M. Gunter further places the Ferguson impeachment in the context of the suffrage movement. 1914 campaign literature in which Ferguson fires back against criticisms from his 'dry' opponent, Thomas H. Ball, and others in the prohibition faction. Carrillospent three years in a federal penitentiary. Ferguson was also surpassed by three other unsuccessful candidates: Ferguson failed at his bid for the United States Senate in 1922, having lost in the Democratic runoff election to Earle Bradford Mayfield. If the state legislature is not in regular session during the time of impeachment, a special session can be called specifically to handle impeachments. To impeach, the House simply needs a majority vote on the different charges involved. Ferguson made bond of $13,000 and announced his candidacy for a third term as governor. Texas History Minute: Jim Ferguson only Texas governor to be impeached, removed. The State Senate reduced the charges to ten, half of which dealt with the transfer of the $5,600. Impeachment is the equivalent of an indictment. He liked to say he was no city slicker and no college dude. A government doesnt require educated fools to run properly. Ferguson was indicted on nine charges which included misapplication of public funds, embezzlement and the diversion of a special fund. He became a lawyer in 1897, married Miriam A. Wallace in 1899, and expanded into real estate, insurance, and banking. The Fergusons beat Robertson and went to the Governor's Mansion for a third time. He had been an opponent of Ferguson for the Democratic party's nomination for governor in 1914.[11]. As a result of his actions, in 1917, Ferguson became the only Texas governor impeached and removed from office. Elections in 2023 | Two years later they lost a reelection bid amid new scandals concerning excessive pardons and political patronage abuses. James Ferguson. ii) During the period between World Wars I and II, James and Miriam Ferguson were the most powerful couple in Texas. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. The most that the select committee can do would be to recommend to the full state house that articles of impeachment be drafted. The regents refused. Only two elected officials in the history of Texas have ever been successfully impeached. Please visit the expanded Texas Politics Project website to learn more about our updated webtext and to find additional educational resources. Texas History Minute: Jim Ferguson only Texas governor to be impeached, removed By Ken Bridges Jan 30, 2020 0 1 of 2 Gov. When James Ferguson failed to get his name on the ballot in 1924, Miriam entered the race for the Texas governorship. Instead, the House immediately turned its attention to 21 articles of impeachment. And once again, there is talk of impeachment in the Legislature. A powerful governor clashes with the University of Texas at Austin. 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'. Her most recent publications include contributions to Texas Women: Their Histories, Their Lives and Discovering Texas History. After 20 days have elapsed from article adoption, if the Governor, Lt. He lost the 1922 Democratic Primary race for U.S. Senate by a wide margin. Eight federal judges have been convicted in the Senate and removed from office. The question was eventually carried into the courts, where the judgment of the Court of Impeachment was sustained. He was indicted and impeached during his second term, forced to resign and barred from holding further Texas office.[1][2][3][4]. 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. Though he had signed legislation creating three new colleges, he found himself in a feud with professors at the University of Texas. The excitement that greeted the veto was soon overshadowed by the greater excitement that surrounded the impeachment trial. Hall updated Governor Rick Perry's office in April 2013 with the full list. In 1918 he sought the Democratic party nomination for the governorship but was defeated by William P. Hobby. Similarly, the Texas Constitution gives the lower house of the legislature power to impeach judges, the governor and statewide elected officials. He was popular for his folksy charm across. After he returned to Texas, he studied law in Bell County and was admitted to the bar. In 1917, barely into his second term as governor of Texas, James E. Ferguson was impeached, convicted, and removed from office. He left home at 16, traveling and taking odd jobs until he returned to farm in Bell County. "Ferguson Impeachment 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. [6] They had two daughters: Ouida Wallace Ferguson, and Dorrace Watt Ferguson. Ferguson was on the ballot only in Texas, where he received 47,968 votes (9.9 percent of the vote in Texas, 0.2 percent of the vote nationwide). An overview by John R. Lundberg offers a comprehensive survey of the impeachment process. The ruling declared that he could no longer hold office in Texas, but he ran the campaigns of his wife, Miriam "Ma" Ferguson. He only made the ballot in Texas, winning just under 10% of the vote. The chairman of the investigating committee, William H. Bledsoe of Lubbock, called for impeachment. Ma placed a distant fifth. James Edward Ferguson, also called Farmer Jim or Pa was born in Bell County in 1871. Jim Ferguson got in trouble for throwing his weight around, and for using the publics money as a personal slush fund. 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. Ferguson cleverly resigned, claiming then that the Senate couldnt uphold an impeachment for someone who wasnt actually in office. by Nicole Shealy He was a popular figure, singing laws protecting sharecroppers and providing state funding for rural schools. 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]. Like the controversy involving UT System Regent Wallace Hall, an appointee of Gov he married Miriam A. at. Bell County and was pleased the University of Texas Senate can call witnesses to testify and vote convict. Resigned, claiming then that the Senate and removed from office as governor 1933... 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