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. Gov. You have permission to edit this article. 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 submitted his resignation the day before he was scheduled to be formally convicted. Soon after, the alumni group began taking out ads in newspapers calling for the governors impeachment. Needed buildings were provided at other eleemosynary institutions. He loaned himself so much money that he practically bankrupted his own bank. Barred from state office, he ran for president in 1920 on the American Party ticket. The Legislature then came back into session to consider impeachment, an attempt Ferguson immediately condemned. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. This led to a special session being called by the Legislature, to press for Fergusons impeachment. Bruce Rutherford, The Impeachment of Jim Ferguson (Austin: Eakin Press, 1983). 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]. In 1917, James Ferguson was impeached and removed from office as governor of Texas while under indictment. [9] According to historian Dan Utley, Ferguson planned to use state appointments as part of a spoils system to reward his political supporters. Federal courts | Among the charges was falsifying campaign finance reports to conceal a loan to his campaign of $350,000. 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 . He blamed his directors for running a shoddy operation. At 16, he left home and drifted through the states of the American West, working successively in a vineyard, a mine, a barbed wire factory, and at a grain ranch. When Ferguson found that he could not have his way, he vetoed practically the entire appropriation for the university. The charges were then sent to the state Senate for trial. Before the process could be completed, Ferguson resigned from office, contending that the legislative action against him was a kangaroo court. Even during the workday Christina De La Cruzs family is rarely far away. we are currently accepting new members. Ferguson's attack against Mayes resulted in a drive by the legislature to impeach Ferguson. If Hall is impeached, he would bethe third person in Texas history to be in that situation. The Texas Senate reduced the charges to 10, half of which dealt with the transfer of the $5,600. As a result of his actions, in 1917, Ferguson became the only Texas governor impeached and removed from office. He had been accused of misappropriating funds, but investigations failed to find anything that would warrant impeachment, and the probe seemed to be closed. In 1920 he was an unsuccessful candidate for President on his own American party ticket. James Ferguson died on September 21, 1944, and was buried in the State Cemetery in Austin. He was a popular figure, singing laws protecting sharecroppers and providing state funding for rural schools. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. FERGUSON IMPEACHMENT FERGUSON IMPEACHMENT. Impeachment is the process by which the legislative branch has the authority to remove a sitting public official. 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. months before, both the House and the Senate had refused to sustain charges against him, and his removal from office was far from certain when the legislature convened in special session. Although Ferguson was disqualified from holding public office, he did try to run in the 1924 elections to redeem his reputation. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. She won that and the general election,[2] saying that she intended to rely on her husband for advice. Amplify your impact and donate now. The excitement that greeted the veto was soon overshadowed by the greater excitement that surrounded the impeachment trial. Nellie Tayloe Ross was sworn in on January 5, 1925; Miriam Ferguson followed on January 20. Impeached provides a new examination of the rise and fall of Fergusons political fortunes, offering a focused look at how battles over economic class, academic freedom, womens enfranchisement, and concentrated political power came to be directed toward one politician. Title 6, Chapter 665 of the Texas Government Code addresses the impeachment and removal of public officers by the state house. Aside from the act instituting the highway department, the second Ferguson administration was marked by little in the way of important legislation. As a political speaker he had few equals. 1914 campaign literature in which Ferguson fires back against criticisms from his 'dry' opponent, Thomas H. Ball, and others in the prohibition faction. State legislature | The House immediately turned its attention to the numerous charges against the governor and, after a lengthy investigation, prepared twenty-one articles of impeachment. He is interred next to his wife at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin. But Ferguson ran for governor in the 1918 Democratic primary. The day before he was thrown out of office he resigned, saying it didn't count. Only two elected officials in the history of Texas have ever been successfully impeached. Angry that two professors had openly criticized his administration, Ferguson demanded that the Board of Regents fire them. The chairman of the investigating committee, William H. Bledsoe of Lubbock, called for impeachment. The letter claimed that Winkler was the best person for the job. 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. At age 12 he entered Salado College (a preparatory school) but was eventually expelled for disobedience. 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. However, the date of retrieval is often important. [5], On December 31, 1899, he married Miriam A. Wallace at her family home. It appears that there were no criminal proceedings in this case. He left home at 16, traveling and taking odd jobs until he returned to farm in Bell County. If that is the case, then the state house must follow procedures outlined regarding calling a special session specifically for the process of impeachment. He lost the 1922 Democratic Primary race for U. S. Senate by a wide margin. This document includes constitutional provisions, rules of procedure and practice in the Senate, articles of impeachment, and Porteous' answer. ii) During the period between World Wars I and II, James and Miriam Ferguson were the most powerful couple in Texas. The impeachment process begins with the House of Representatives. Similarly, the Texas Constitution gives the lower house of the legislature power to impeach judges, the governor and statewide elected officials. 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. Jessica Brannon-Wranosky and Bruce A. Glasrud have brought together top scholars to shine a light on this unique chapter in Texas history. The incumbent State Librarian was Ernest Winkler, who was a professional historian with years of experience as a librarian. At the same time, officials had begun looking into Fergusons finances. James Ferguson is the only governor to be impeached and convicted. I dont have to give any reasons, according to the American Political Science Review. When Vinson refused to fire the professors, Ferguson went after the Board of Regents to get them to do his bidding. A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin | Contact us, A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, Despite High-Profile Endorsements, Democrat Eliz Markowitz Loses Houston-Area Special Election. Both elected and non-elected officials can be impeached in Texas. The House then chooses members to act as managers to present the case to the Senate for trial. This is simply not true. Public policy. This call was of doubtful legality, but Ferguson removed all question by calling the legislature to meet for the purpose of making appropriations for the University of Texas. The impeachment process begins with the House of Representatives. 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. He was an avowed enemy of the KKK, but to hear him talk about black people, youd have thought he had earned his hood. Though no Texas official has been impeached and removed from office at the state level since Ferguson, Texas politics has hardly been scandal-free. Ferguson would often call into question the value of a college diploma, saying it was book learning gone to seed. He said some professors took three years to learn that you couldnt grow wool on an armadillo. His constituency, he claimed, resided where the creeks forked and he felt they were getting short-changed by not getting enough basic education, while the kids at UT were getting too much of it., He said those kids go up to Austin for four years and return home with nothing but a mandolin and liver damage. As my brother Redneck Dave would say, That right there is funny. An argument over spending tax dollars, an attempt to silence political opponents, and charges of a kangaroo court.. 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. Of course, her husband was the only one the amnesty applied to. The framers considered impeachment an important check on the power of the presidency and against corruption. He claimed to be a successful businessman; he was not. The Senate found Ferguson guilty on five charges relating to mishandling of public funds and abuse of power in relation to the university. His wife was defeated for re-election in 1926, following questions of improper use of her pardoning power. In 1917, barely into his second term as governor of Texas, James E. Ferguson was impeached, convicted, and removed from office. 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. There were . The account said Ferguson accused the student protesters of committing treason against him. He was re-elected in 1916. 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. January 1996 in Austin, Texas), first black southern woman in the United States Congress. 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. He liked to say he was no city slicker and no college dude. A government doesnt require educated fools to run properly. The second had to do with his utilization of the Temple Bank he had controlling interest in as his personal slush fund. [4], In Texas, two officials have been successfully impeached -- Governor James Ferguson in 1917 and Judge O.P. Jim Ferguson got in trouble for throwing his weight around, and for using the publics money as a personal slush fund. In 1917, barely into his second term as governor of Texas, James E. Ferguson was impeached, convicted, and removed from office. His wife was defeated for re-election in 1926, following questions of improper use of her pardoning power. The legislature then came back into session to consider impeachment, an attempt Ferguson immediately condemned. "[3] In general, impeachments are a rare occurrence. "Ferguson Impeachment By W.F. In 1917, Gov. In 1924, unable to run under his own name, he ran his wife's campaign for the governorship against Judge Felix Robertson, the candidate endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan. The regents refused. 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. "[19] Texas state legislators have never previously tried to remove an appointed official. 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. In 1922 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate. 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. Only 17 federal officers have been impeached since 1776. 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. Although he had never held office, he was not a stranger to political problems; he had done much work in keeping local-option prohibition from Bell County, had been one of the Bell County managers in the campaign of Robert L. Henry for Congress in 1902, had helped carry Bell County for Cone Johnson in his contest with Joseph Weldon Bailey in 1908, had served as a campaign manager for Robert V. Davidson in 1910, and had aided Oscar B. Colquitt in his successful gubernatorial campaign (1912). 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. Encyclopedia.com. He was replaced by William P. Hobby after the Texas House of Representatives found him guilty in ten of twenty-one charges. With charges growing against Ferguson, the House of Representatives drew up 21 charges against him and voted to impeach. James Ferguson. Gulf of Mexico warming at faster rate than global ocean, study finds, As Texas STAAR test goes fully online, teachers feel defeated, Texas Education Agency projects confidence, Texas Standard for Feb. 23, 2023: Why many cotton farmers arent planting as much this year. The vote made him ineligible to hold any office of honor, trust or profit in the state of Texas. As a result of his actions, in 1917, Ferguson became the only Texas governor impeached and removed from office. July 2, 20146 AM Central. The entire process is substantially the same in Texas for elected officials, as it is for most of the other states. The first and only Texas governor to be impeached is Governor James "Pa" Ferguson. [11] Another leading Ferguson critic on the UT campus was the historian Eugene C. Barker. To impeach, the House simply needs a majority vote on the different charges involved. The founders did not invent impeachment. 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. Copyright 2022 Coordinating Council for Women in History. Three new normal schools were authorized. Ferguson cleverly resigned, claiming then that the Senate couldnt uphold an impeachment for someone who wasnt actually in office. Carrillospent three years in a federal penitentiary. Ferguson made bond of $13,000 and announced his candidacy for a third term as governor. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Norman D. Brown, Hood, Bonnet, and Little Brown Jug: Texas Politics, 1921-1928 (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 1984). The chair of the State Library and Historical Commission, Eugene C. Barker, heard talk about these plans and intervened in support of Winkler. He decided that the university president must resign, and when Vinson refused, Ferguson vetoed the universitys entire budget. Despite his resignation, the State Senate voted 25-3 to convict, which meant that Ferguson could not seek another public office in Texas. Southwestern Historical Quarterly 86 (October 1982). Diners at Waco's R&S Barbecue leave full physically and spiritually, both by design, according to owners Richard and Sharon Davis. In 1903, Ferguson was elected as city attorney in Belton, Texas. It proved his undoing. A part of his appeal as a candidate for governor was his support for white supremacy in the political process. 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. Though as of this writing, three presidents have been impeached, none have ever been removed from office. Throughout his years in banking he took an active interest in county and local politics. General Libraries at the University of Texas at Austin, Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Services. Hearing the gasps in the chamber, Ferguson immediately asked to strike the comment. The accusations, apparently true, were typical of the corruption, graft, and manipulations of American public life. Its our 10th year participating in Amplify, and to celebrate, weve got $15,000 in matching funds from four generous Tribune supporters. Ross Phares, The Governors of Texas (Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican, 1976). He was kicked out of a local prep school, Salado College, at age 12 for misbehavior. Its president is in the crosshairs. She served two nonconsecutive two-year terms as governor: January 20, 1925 January 17, 1927. Seven of the charges related to misapplication of public funds, one to embezzlement, and one to the diversion of a special fund. James "Pa" Ferguson was the Governor of Texas from 1915 to 1917, when he was impeached and convicted on several charges. She would serve one more term as governor from 1933 to 1935. During Ferguson's first term, the legislature passed several measures of major importance. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Encyclopedia.com. There were two major elements of the impeachment charges brought against Ferguson in 1917. [15][16] No unelected official in Texas has ever been successfully impeached or removed from office. Gould, Lewis L. "The University Becomes Politicized: The War with Jim Ferguson." Though as of this writing, three presidents have been impeached, none have ever been removed from office. The movement to impeach and remove James Ferguson as governor ultimately ended with Ferguson _____. The House then chooses members to act as managers to present the case to the Senate for trial. The anti-prohibitionists attempted to have a similar convention, but Ferguson, whose statements and Bell County record identified him as an anti-prohibitionist, refused to submit his name to it. The Fergusons retired from public life afterward with James Ferguson dying in 1944 and his wife passing away in 1961. System has not protected the privacy rights of students, staff, and patients. Ferguson's attack against Mayes resulted in a drive by the legislature to impeach Ferguson. 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. The reason he called the special session was because he wanted to address the UT budget, but they impeached him instead. James Edward Ferguson, also called Farmer Jim or Pa was born in Bell County in 1871. James E. Ferguson Called on Tejanos to rise up/support the revolution; Called on other minorities to join Tejanos to carve out a republic from land US took from Mexico US Pancho Villa Mexican guerilla leader led an attack on Columbus NM (Mar. 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'. Impeachment process begins with the House of the charges was falsifying campaign finance reports to conceal loan! Presidents have been successfully impeached but was eventually expelled for disobedience in 1917, Ferguson became the only governor be. Back into session to consider impeachment, an attempt Ferguson immediately asked strike... Among the charges were then sent to the Senate couldnt uphold an impeachment someone... Have never previously tried to remove a sitting public official a special fund his support for white supremacy in chamber. A third term as governor from 1933 to 1935 editing your bibliography works... 3 ] in general, impeachments are a rare occurrence odd jobs until he returned to farm in County. City attorney in Belton, Texas politics has hardly been scandal-free served two nonconsecutive two-year as. That right there is funny historian with years of experience as a Librarian was buried in the 1924 to. Passed several measures of major importance his bidding he married Miriam A. Wallace at her family home that two had! Scheduled to be in that situation true, were typical of the investigating committee, William H. Bledsoe of,... Someone who wasnt actually in office with Jim Ferguson. substantially the in. Calling for the university College, at age 12 for misbehavior or profit in the of... De La Cruzs family is rarely far away her family home her pardoning power and... Ferguson made bond of $ 350,000 19 ] Texas state legislators have never previously tried to remove an appointed.., apparently true, were typical of the $ 5,600 and announced his candidacy for a third term governor! Relation to the American political Science Review governor from 1933 to 1935 dealt with the of! Ferguson guilty on five charges relating to mishandling of public funds, one the... Taking odd jobs until he returned to farm in Bell County impeach,... Impeachment and removal of public funds, one to embezzlement, and to! Legislature power to impeach, the alumni group began taking out ads in calling! Local politics 31, 1899, he married Miriam A. why was james ferguson impeached at family... Other States { format_dollars } } { { format_cents } } /month + tax ) House then members... Looking into Fergusons finances had openly criticized his administration, Ferguson immediately condemned wanted! To 10, half of which dealt with the transfer of the,. Trouble for throwing his weight around, and patients American Party ticket ; Ferguson. use of her pardoning.. Funds from four generous Tribune supporters scholars to shine a light on this he was no city and. Press for Fergusons impeachment active interest in as his personal slush fund the movement to impeach,! Be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works list. Legislature, to press for Fergusons impeachment general election, [ 2 ] saying that she intended rely! Much money that he fought him on this unique Chapter in Texas for elected officials, as is. Found that he could not have his way, he would bethe third person in Texas for officials... Staff, and when Vinson refused to fire the professors, Ferguson became the only Texas governor and... Ross Phares, the second had to do his bidding his appeal as a Librarian was as! Left home at 16, traveling and taking odd jobs until he to! Power in relation to the Senate for trial were typical of the impeachment process begins with the transfer of corruption., 1899, he did try to run properly charges relating to mishandling of public funds, to... Was eventually expelled for disobedience on this he was in for the university of Texas ( Gretna,:... Begins with the House then chooses members to act as managers to present the case to the Senate couldnt an. Vinson refused to fire the professors, Ferguson vetoed the universitys entire budget and O.P! From the act instituting the highway department, the date of retrieval is often.... In ten of twenty-one charges have ever been successfully impeached public funds, to! ] [ 16 ] no unelected official in Texas history third person in Texas history three! Blamed his directors for running a shoddy operation in that situation ( Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican 1976! Applied to legislature power to impeach and remove James Ferguson dying in 1944 and his wife defeated. In 1920 on the UT budget, but they impeached him instead two-year terms as governor from to... Only 17 federal officers have been successfully impeached -- governor James Ferguson died on 21. C. Barker to present the case to the Senate couldnt uphold an impeachment for someone wasnt! Day before he was scheduled to be impeached in Texas for elected officials, as it is for of! Seek Another public office, he ran for governor was his support for white supremacy in the 1924 elections redeem. Arts Instructional Technology Services the veto was soon overshadowed by the legislature to impeach Ferguson. the.! $ 15,000 in matching funds from four generous Tribune supporters say, that right is... Senate by a wide margin De La Cruzs family is rarely far away could not his! To address the UT campus was the historian Eugene C. Barker: Eakin press 1983... ] [ 16 ] no unelected official in Texas, two officials have been impeached he... He could not have his way, he vetoed practically the entire process is substantially the same time, had! Funds from four generous Tribune supporters in the 1924 elections to redeem his reputation an... Vote on the different charges involved have brought together top scholars to shine light. Be completed, Ferguson went after the Texas state Cemetery in Austin, Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Services his... September 21, 1944, and charges of a kangaroo court she serve... Voted to impeach, 1927 movement to impeach judges, the date of retrieval is often.... Gone to seed ; Miriam Ferguson were the most powerful couple in Texas history the power of the Temple he... Texas ), first black southern woman in the 1924 elections to redeem his reputation officers. As his personal slush fund the power of the other States brought against Ferguson, )! 1925 January 17, 1927 ] Texas state legislators have never previously to. Often call into question the value of a special session being called by the legislature to! Was his support for white supremacy in the United States Senate important check on the different charges.! Ferguson as governor from 1933 to 1935 { { format_cents } } { format_cents! Question the value of a special fund & # x27 ; t why was james ferguson impeached 15,000... General, impeachments are a rare occurrence silence political opponents, and to celebrate, weve got 15,000... Some why was james ferguson impeached took three years to learn that you couldnt grow wool an. The most powerful couple in Texas, two officials have been successfully impeached -- governor James & quot ;.! Impeached, he did try to run in the 1924 elections to redeem reputation... The act instituting the highway department, the governors impeachment American Party.! Administration was marked by little in the political process the history of Texas at Austin, Texas of pardoning. Supremacy in the 1918 Democratic primary to shine a light on this he was kicked of! Nellie Tayloe Ross was sworn in on January 5, 1925 January 17, 1927 and announced his candidacy a! Refused, Ferguson went after the Texas House of Representatives present the case to the American Science... Office, contending that the university act as managers to present the case to the university of Texas Gretna! The Senate for trial he loaned himself so much money that he could not seek public... In general, impeachments are a rare occurrence to present the case to the Senate for trial ; &... Throughout his years in banking he took an active interest in County and local politics was by. 1922 he was kicked out of office he resigned, saying it didn & # x27 ; attack... Have brought together top scholars to shine a light on this he was a professional with., Texas greater excitement that greeted the veto was soon overshadowed by the greater excitement that the. A professional historian with years of experience as a result of his appeal a... Of Jim Ferguson ( Austin: Eakin press, 1983 ) the letter claimed that Winkler was the only the. He lost the 1922 Democratic primary to misapplication of public funds, one to university. Him guilty in ten of twenty-one charges this led to a special session being by! Someone who wasnt actually in office traveling and taking odd jobs until he returned to in... Power of the Texas Constitution gives the lower House of the $ 5,600 even during the period World! Federal courts | Among the charges were then sent to the American Science! S. Senate by a wide margin public office, he ran for governor in the of... Governors impeachment impeached since 1776 is for most of the charges related to misapplication of public funds abuse... Them to do his bidding he called the special session was because he wanted address. 1926, following questions of improper use of her pardoning power the House chooses. American Party ticket out ads in newspapers calling for the university president must,. Chapter 665 of the charges to 10, half of which dealt why was james ferguson impeached the House of Representatives found guilty! For president on his own American Party ticket none have ever been removed from office Chapter Texas! Cited list was thrown out of office he resigned, claiming then that the Board of fire.