First President Ever To Be Impeached In History
Andrew Johnson was the first president to be impeached. The United States House of Representatives voted to impeach Andrew, a democrat and the current president of the United States. On February 21, 1968, the first impeachment was held.
Andrew Johnson was also the first democratic president to be impeached. It is, without a doubt, a first in the history of American politics.
Andrew Johnson was the first president to be impeached.
Johnson, who was a vice president at the time, had taken office following Abraham Lincoln’s death on April 15, 1865. The confrontation between him and the Radical Republicans was sparked by his Southern roots concept.
Johnson, on the other hand, favored ex-rebels and frequently granted them pardons. He constantly spoke out against the Radicals in his talks. Despite their desire to rebuild the South, the Radicals were well aware of the dangers.
The Office Tenure Act
Things began to shift quickly. Johnson couldn’t fire government employees because of the 1867 Tenure Office Act. He needed to seek advice from the Senate.
The Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, was the only member of Johnson’s cabinet who supported the reconstruction initiative. As a result, Johnson removed Edwin M. Stanton from office and replaced him with General Ulysses S. Grant.
Stanton’s punishment was overturned by Congress, and Grant resigned. On February 21, 1868, Johnson formally fired Stanton.
Stanton stood firm in his refusal to go, and the Republicans rallied behind him. On February 24, the House of Representatives impeached Johnson for his blatant disobedience.
Johnson was accused by Republicans of violating the Tenure Office Act. Andrew Johnson became the first president to be impeached as a result of this.
The Case of Andrew Johnson
The trial of Andrew Johnson was a public spectacle that lasted 11 weeks. It resulted in Johnson’s exoneration, allowing him to complete his time until March 4, 1869.
Johnson, on the other hand, continued to oppose the Reconstruction Acts. Despite this, Congress managed to turn the tables and continue to enact legislation.
Abolhassan Banisadr – The Second Impeached President
Furthermore, Iran’s president, Abolhassan Banisadr, was the country’s second president to face criminal accusations. Banisadr was impeached in 1981 as a result.
Richard Nixon was the second president who came dangerously close to losing his position. Nixon was in hot water as a result of the 1974 Watergate crisis. Nixon finally resigned before the impeachment process began.
Bill Clinton: The President Who Was (Nearly) Impeached
Bill Clinton was the third president in US history to be impeached. As a result of Monica Lewinsky’s sexual harassment lawsuit in 1998.
Nonetheless, Bill Clinton remained in office until 2001, when his presidency came to an end.