The Texas State Legislature adjourned its regular session on May 27, 2013. James Ferguson. Ferguson was indicted on nine charges which included misapplication of public funds, embezzlement and the diversion of a special fund. Aside from the act instituting the highway department, the second Ferguson administration was marked by little in the way of important legislation. In 1906, he sold Farmers bank and established Temple State Bank. The issues were prohibition, the tax rate, and certain unpalatable rumors concerning the Ferguson administration. we are currently accepting new members. The colleges were permitted to begin building programs, and the educational appropriation bills were more generous than usual. [5], On December 31, 1899, he married Miriam A. Wallace at her family home. A powerful governor clashes with the University of Texas at Austin. The framers considered impeachment an important check on the power of the presidency and against corruption. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. While the campaign of 1916 was in progress, the Ferguson administration had been charged with a number of irregularities. At age 12 he entered Salado College (a preparatory school) but was eventually expelled for disobedience. Dictionary of American History. Reprinted with permission from the Handbook of Texas Online, a joint project of the Texas State Historical Association and the General Libraries at the University of Texas at Austin. Ma placed a distant fifth. When Vinson refused to fire the professors, Ferguson went after the Board of Regents to get them to do his bidding. Farmer Jim wasnt even much of a farmer, though he owned a few farms and was incredibly loyal to farmers. Impeached: The Removal of Texas Governor James E. Fergusonreveals how power ebbed and flowed in twentieth-century Texas and includes several annotated primary documents critical to understanding the Ferguson impeachment. [9] According to historian Dan Utley, Ferguson planned to use state appointments as part of a spoils system to reward his political supporters. 1914 campaign literature in which Ferguson fires back against criticisms from his 'dry' opponent, Thomas H. Ball, and others in the prohibition faction. It appears that neither governor was brought to trial. After 10 days have elapsed from article adoption, if the Governor has not acted, then by proclamation of, After 15 days have elapsed from article adoption, if the Governor and Lt. His father died when he was 4. Democratic nominee James M. Cox won in Texas, where the white majority was voting solidly Democratic. The fight with the university touched off a massive scandal. he was accused of misuse of public funds following his call for a special legislative session When a governor is removed from office, resigns, or dies or becomes incapacitated while in office, who becomes governor? Vinson asked what they had done to deserve it and he said, I dont need a reason, Im the governor.. So to prove this to them, Ferguson called a special session to consider a UT funding bill he could sign. In 1925, Miriam became the first female governor of Texas after campaigning as a stand-in for her husband, and James E. Ferguson became the first gentleman of Texas for her two terms. . As historian Cortez Ewing pointed out, Ferguson was the voice of the people, and with his sixth-grade education, he promoted the idea that he had not suffered the damages of higher degrees. Though he was kicked out of office and disgraced in front of his colleagues, Ferguson was still popular among his hardcore supporters and rallied back. Scandals of all sorts, from the brazen to the bizarre, have occurred for decades at all levels. On December 31, 1899, he married Miriam A. Wallace; they had two children. FERGUSON IMPEACHMENT. U.S. Congress | As a result of these developments, the speaker of the House called a special session to consider charges of impeachment against the governor. Ferguson was indicted on nine charges in July 1917. But Ferguson ran for governor in the 1918 Democratic primary. 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 entire process is substantially the same in Texas for elected officials, as it is for most of the other states. Low 54F. In 1924, his wife, Miriam Ma Ferguson won election as governor as a stand-in candidate in a tightly-contested race. You are currently viewing a legacy feature of the Texas Politics Project website. Ferguson declared that the legislature constituted little more than a "kangaroo court," but only a few 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 . Which Way Will Harris County Precinct 3 Turn In 2020? In 1917, James Ferguson was impeached and removed from office as governor of Texas while under indictment. An argument over spending tax dollars, an attempt to silence political opponents, and charges of a kangaroo court. This is not a current story but a faint echo of a notorious event in Texas History, the impeachment of Gov. Impeachment is the power of a legislative body to address charges of impropriety or criminality by a government official, such as a governor or lieutenant governor. How to vote | Texas History Minute: Jim Ferguson only Texas governor to be impeached, removed. He told the UT president, Dr. Robert E. Vinson, that he wanted them fired. Laws governing impeachment in Texas are governed by Article 15 of the Texas Constitution. 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. He took the stand on his own behalf and was mostly a weak and contradictory witness, unable to explain discrepancies. If that is the case, then the state house must follow procedures outlined regarding calling a special session specifically for the process of impeachment. Samuel Houston (1793-1863), American statesman and soldier, was the person most responsible for bringing Texas into the Union. The account said Ferguson accused the student protesters of committing treason against him. Why was Governor James E. Ferguson impeached and convicted in 1917? He later ran anyway, claiming that he had resigned before he was convicted. The Fergusons beat Robertson and went to the Governor's Mansion for a third time. . James Ferguson died on September 21, 1944, and was buried in the State Cemetery in Austin. Jessica Brannon-Wranosky is the Distinguished Professor of Digital Humanities and History at Texas A&M UniversityCommerce. Centex baseball preview: What's old, new, borrowed and blue for 2023? In 1918 he sought the Democratic party nomination for the governorship but was defeated by William P. Hobby. In 1918 he sought the Democratic party nomination for the governorship but was defeated by William P. Hobby. House Speaker Franklin Fuller called a special session to consider charges of impeachment against the governor. [8] Hall, as an individual citizen, filed FOIA requests with the University system after his inquiries via his role as a Regent were rebuffed. 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. Henry S. Johnston of Oklahoma Found in volume 15,291 (available at govinfo). Almost a century later, the impeachment of Ferguson by the Texas House of Representatives presents both striking similarities and key differences to the ongoing Hall saga. The House sent 21 articles of impeachment to the Senate. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. In retaliation, Ferguson vetoed the entire appropriation for the university. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. The Senate found Ferguson guilty on five charges relating to mishandling of public funds and abuse of power in relation to the university. Winds light and variable.. [8], Prior to his inauguration, Ferguson conferred with officials at the University of Texas regarding appointments affecting learning and higher education. He lost the 1922 Democratic Primary race for U.S. Senate by a wide margin. Eight governors have been removed from office through impeachment. . The founders did not invent impeachment. "In light of the fundamental role attorneys play, it would lead to an absurd result were it criminal for an official to provide student records to his or her attorney in the face of litigation, or anticipated litigation, involving these records," Philip Hilder wrote in the report. The actual trial on those charges, and subsequent removal of an official on conviction on those charges, is separate from the act of impeachment itself. Impeachment is the process by which the legislative branch has the authority to remove a sitting public official. "Ferguson Impeachment 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. But it is Hall not his political patron, Perry who would be targeted for possible impeachment. He was barred, but managed to have his wife ("Ma Ferguson") elected governor; she was elected for a second term in 1932. A reiteration and compilation of documents created in the House impeachment proceedings. With strong support from progressive and anti-Prohibition forces, "Farmer Jim" was elected governor of Texas in 1914. [12], [13] In addition, Cigarroa wrote: "During testimony before the Select Committee, some early witnesses implied that the U.T. James Ferguson Dr. Ken Bridges An argument over spending tax. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. The Texas Senate, many of whom had served under William Harding Mayes and with whom Mayes maintained cordial relationships,[14] removed Ferguson as governor and declared him ineligible to hold office under Texas jurisdiction. Meanwhile, Winkler fought for his job by enlisting the help of his colleagues. An effort was begun in 2013 to investigate the possibility of impeaching University of Texas Regent Wallace Hall. Impeached. The vote was 25-3. The state was blue, then really indigo. 100% remote. Jordan, Barbara Charline The Senate found Ferguson guilty on five charges relating to mishandling of public funds and abuse of power in relation to the university. Please visit the expanded Texas Politics Project website to learn more about our updated webtext and to find additional educational resources. 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. Three others dealt with the veto of university funding as an abuse of power and official oppression. In 1940 Mrs. Ferguson again sought the governorship, and for the last time "Farmer Jim" appealed to the voters of Texas. 2020 Census Making An Invisible Population Visible, Lyceum Poll Finds Bernie Sanders Most Likely Democrat To Beat Trump In Texas, One Texans Journey to Understanding His Identity as a Queer Muslim, In West Texas, Knowing Your Address Can Be The Difference Between Life And Death. 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 . 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 . The second was state District Judge OliveroCarrilloin 1976, who was impeached for income tax fraud. Jordan wa, Houston, Sam When the House is not in session, there are three ways that the House may be convened for purposes of impeachment. The letter claimed that Winkler was the best person for the job. 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. U.S. President | (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). He made only a few speeches and must have known long before the votes were cast that Mrs. Ferguson had no chance to win. In the wake of the controversy, issues from Fergusons past campaign for governor in 1916 came back into the spotlight. [7], In 1914, Ferguson was elected as governor of Texas by running as an anti-prohibitionist Democrat. Leah LaGrone Ochoa then explores Fergusons hot-and-cold relationship with the Texas press, and Mark Stanley examines the impact of the impeachment on Texas politics in the decades that followed. Jim Ferguson so enormously popular 100 years ago. Dan Moody. 2-stem governor fro 1921-1924 . He left home at sixteen and wandered for two years through the states of the Far West, where he lived by accepting any employment offered. In 1917, barely into his second term as governor of Texas, James E. Ferguson was impeached, convicted, and removed from office. [11] Another leading Ferguson critic on the UT campus was the historian Eugene C. Barker. If Hall is impeached, he would bethe third person in Texas history to be in that situation. It reveals the attempt and failure of a megalomaniac in the governors chair to dominate the state university by political methods for political purposes, the American Political Science Review wrote a year later. He became a lawyer in 1897, married Miriam A. Wallace in 1899, and expanded into real estate, insurance and banking. He only made the ballot in Texas, winning just under 10% of the vote. Ferguson was removed from office and deemed ineligible to hold any position of honor, trust, or profit under the laws of Texas by the Court of Impeachment by a vote of twenty-five to three. The reason he called the special session was because he wanted to address the UT budget, but they impeached him instead. Southwestern Historical Quarterly 86 (October 1982). Johnson Roofing built a business on topping off buildings, but when it comes to its legacy, Bill Johnson and daughter Sherri focus on the foundation. 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. The movement to impeach and remove James Ferguson as governor ultimately ended with Ferguson _____. Unable to run under his own name, Ferguson ran his wife's campaign for Governor; Miriam A. Ferguson, known as "Ma" Ferguson, was twice elected as governor, serving two non-consecutive terms, from 1925 to 1927 and 1933 to 1935. He had attempted to stack the board of regents with friends who would help fire these professors and staffers, and he had called for the resignation of the universitys president, Robert Vinson. He was a popular figure, singing laws protecting sharecroppers and providing state funding for rural schools. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. She won that and the general election,[2] saying that she intended to rely on her husband for advice. He was defeated in the Democratic primary by his successor and incumbent, William P. Hobby of Houston, previously the lieutenant governor. He was replaced by William P. Hobby after the Texas House of Representatives found him guilty in ten of twenty-one charges. In 1916 Ferguson's reelection seemed certain. Angry that two professors had openly criticized his administration, Ferguson demanded that the Board of Regents fire them. Almost a century later, the Ferguson impeachment presents both striking similarities and key differences to the ongoing saga involving University of Texas System Regent Wallace Hall. The first had to do with his abuse of power while attempting to micromanage the University of Texas. 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. FERGUSON IMPEACHMENT FERGUSON IMPEACHMENT. The Texas Supreme Court disagreed, so he had his wife run in his place. The most that the select committee can do would be to recommend to the full state house that articles of impeachment be drafted. This is not a current story but a faint echo of a notorious event in Texas history, the impeachment of Gov. "[14], An effort was begun in June 2013 to try and impeach Hall from his position as regent. [17] Governor of Texas Rick Perry's spokesperson said the investigations send a "chilling message" to gubernatorial appointees. School districts | Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. November 2013 testimony prompted committee-member Trey Fischer to request the inquiry. The Texas Senate reduced the charges to 10, half of which dealt with the transfer of the $5,600. by Nicole Shealy In 1935, the Fergusons lost their ranch in Bell County because of financial troubles during the Great Depression. Double your gift when you give by 6 p.m. Thursday. This ragtag pair, better known as "Pa . Ouida Ferguson Nalle, The Fergusons of Texas, or "Two Governors for the Price of One": A Biography of James Edward Ferguson and His Wife (San Antonio: Naylor, 1946). When Ferguson found that he could not have his way, he vetoed practically the entire appropriation for the university. System has not protected the privacy rights of students, staff, and patients. He is the author, coauthor, or editor of more than two dozen books, most recently Anti-Black Violence in Twentieth-Century Texas. Their campaign slogan: Two governors for the price of one.. ." Donations by CCWH members and other patrons support CCWH awards and initiatives. The Constitution gives the House power to impeach the president, officials appointed by the president (including cabinet officers), and judges. Nellie Tayloe Ross was sworn in on January 5, 1925; Miriam Ferguson followed on January 20. [18] He added that the investigation was "extraordinary political theater. Two years later they lost a reelection bid amid new scandals concerning excessive pardons and political patronage abuses. He convened the commission, and the body approved that Barker write a letter to the Governor-elect. He claimed to be a successful businessman; he was not. The Freddy's Glass legacyPeople who knew our dad and his story say he would be proud of us, but we say, Man, were proud of himHe truly. The Constitution gives Congress the power of impeachment in federal cases. He served 15 months as governor. 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]. State legislature | While there, legislators legally took up another matter, impeachment. Governor and President Pro Tempore have not acted, then by proclamation of a signed majority of the members of the Senate. Ferguson's attack against Mayes resulted in a drive by the legislature to impeach Ferguson. He was replaced by William P. Hobby after the Texas House of Representatives found him guilty in ten of twenty-one charges. There were two major elements of the impeachment charges brought against Ferguson in 1917. Winds light and variable. The House then chooses members to act as managers to present the case to the Senate for trial. He was by this time an old man. The Senate, sitting as a High Court of Impeachment, spent three weeks considering the charges and finally convicted the governor on ten of them. Dictionary of American History. When James Ferguson failed to get his name on the ballot in 1924, Miriam entered the race for the Texas governorship. Ferguson then went on a tour of Texas, voicing his disdain for the university and what he called the university crowd in public speeches. His wife was defeated for re-election in 1926, following questions of improper use of her pardoning power. 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. When he was four years old, his father died. He entered Salado College, a local preparatory school, at age twelve but was eventually expelled for disobedience. In 1917, barely into his second term as governor of Texas, James E. Ferguson was impeached, convicted, and removed from office. Dictionary of American History. Ferguson won the nomination by a majority of about 40,000 votes. He often said, civilization begins and ends with the plow. Ferguson was a mesmerizing speaker and storyteller and was splendidly fluent in the dialects of rural Texas. 23 Feb. 2023 . 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. Cities | The Fergusons retired from public life afterward with James Ferguson dying in 1944 and his wife passing away in 1961. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. We help women historians thrive through events, resources, and community. Though no Texas official has been impeached and removed from office at the state level since Ferguson, Texas politics has hardly been scandal-free. The impeachment process begins with the House of Representatives. James Ferguson was a banker from Temple who would become governor in 1914 - famous, or infamous, as the only Texas governor to face impeachment. His wife was defeated for re-election in 1926, following questions of improper use of her pardoning power. The report concluded that Hall had a legitimate reason for having the documents in question. But the mere fact that Ferguson had been impeached and made ineligible to hold any office of trust or profit under the state did not in any sense remove him from the field of Texas politics. Jim Pa Ferguson became the first person in Texas to be impeached. Gov. Norman Kittrell, Governors Who Have Been and Other Public Men of Texas (Houston: Dealy-Adey-Elgin, 1921). Needed buildings were provided at other eleemosynary institutions. The Constitution gives the House power to impeach the president, officials appointed by the president (including cabinet officers) and judges. Dr. Ken Bridges is a writer, historian and native Texan. 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