List of efforts to impeach vice presidents of the United States
The
No United States vice president has been impeached. One has gone through an impeachment inquiry, however, without being formally impeached.
Procedure
A loophole was filled in a change of rules during the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton in 1999. Prior to this change, vice presidents were authorized to preside over an impeachment trial of themselves; the Senate has now authorized the chief justice to preside in such a circumstance.[2]
Vice presidents who requested an impeachment inquiry
John C. Calhoun
In 1826, Vice President
Spiro Agnew
On September 26, 1973, a request by Vice President
Speaker Albert discussed the potential inquiry with House Democratic leaders and House Parliamentarian Lewis Deschler, before deciding against granting one to Agnew.[3]
Bella Abzug, argued that this was the right decision, as the House needed to instead focus on starting an impeachment inquiry against President Richard Nixon relating to the Watergate break in.[3]
Weeks later, on October 10, 1973, as part of a plea bargain relating to a charge of tax evasion, Vice President Agnew resigned.[3]
Impeachment resolutions
Schuyler Colfax
Vice President
Under this cloud of suspicion, on February 20, 1873 (less than a month before Colfax's term expired), Representative
The main reasons why impeachment failed to arise are believed to be that the incident in question took place during Colfax's tenure as a representative (not as vice president), and because, when the actions became known, only a few weeks remained before his term expired.[7][8]
Dick Cheney
In April 2007, United States Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) filed impeachment resolution (H.Res. 333) against Vice President Dick Cheney, seeking his trial in the Senate on three charges. After months of inaction, Kucinich re-introduced the exact content of H. Res 333 as a new resolution numbered H.Res. 799 in November 2007.
Both resolutions were referred to the Judiciary Committee immediately after their introduction and the Committee did not consider either. Both resolutions expired upon the termination of the 110th United States Congress on January 3, 2009.[9][10]
Kamala Harris
On September 24, 2021, Republican United States Representative
On June 12, 2023, Republican Representative
Other
Andrew Johnson
After
See also
- List of efforts to impeach presidents of the United States
- Impeachment investigations of United States federal officials
- List of unsuccessful efforts to impeach United States federal officials
References
- ^ Cole, J. P.; Garvey, T. (October 29, 2015). "Report No. R44260, Impeachment and Removal" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 19, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Special Report: Clinton Accused: Senate Rules for Impeachment". The Washington Post. December 15, 1998. Retrieved July 2, 2022.[failed verification]
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Vice President Spiro Agnew's impeachment request | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". history.house.gov. United States House of Representatives. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f "Impeach or Indict ..." The New York Times. September 27, 1973. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- ^ a b Cong. Globe, 42nd Cong., 3rd Sess. 1544 (1873).
- ^ a b c d e "Hinds' Precedents, Volume 3 Chapter 79 - Impeachment Proceedings Not Resulting In Trial". www.govinfo.gov. U.S. Government Publishing Office. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
- ^ MacDonald, William (1930). Allen Johnson and Dumas Malone (ed.). Dictionary of American Biography Colfax, Schuyler. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 298.
- ^ "U.S. Senate: Schuyler Colfax, 17th Vice President (1869-1873)". www.senate.gov. United States Senate. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
- ^ "H.Res.333 - 110th Congress (2007-2008): Impeaching Richard B. Cheney, Vice President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors". www.congress.gov. United States Congress. May 4, 2007. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- ^ "H.Res.799 - 110th Congress (2007-2008): Impeaching Richard B. Cheney, Vice President of the United States, of high crimes and misdemeanors". www.congress.gov. United States Congress. November 6, 2007. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- ^ "H.Res.679 - Impeaching Kamala Devi Harris, Vice President of the United States, for the high crimes and misdemeanors of betrayal of the public trust. Summary". www.congress.gov. United States Congress. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
- ^ "H.Res.679 - Impeaching Kamala Devi Harris, Vice President of the United States, for the high crimes and misdemeanors of betrayal of the public trust. Cosponsors". www.congress.gov. United States Congress. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
- ^ "H.Res.679 - Impeaching Kamala Devi Harris, Vice President of the United States, for the high crimes and misdemeanors of betrayal of the public trust. All Actions". www.congress.gov. United States Congress. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
- ^ "H.Res.494 - Impeaching Kamala Devi Harris, Vice President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors". Congress.gov. United States Congress. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ Poore, Ben Perley (March 5, 1887). "REMINISCENCES OF PUBLIC MEN". Newspapers.com. Grand Island Herald. Retrieved June 1, 2021.