United States Senate Election, Expulsion, and Censure Cases, 1793-1990

Anne M. Butler (1938 - 2014) and Wendy Wolff

Article I, section 5, of the United States Constitution gives each house of Congress power to judge the elections, returns, and qualifications of its members, and to punish members for "disorderly behavior." Between 1793 and 1990, more than 200 senators faced challenges to their credentials based on their qualifications for office and alleged irregularities in their elections; or discipline for offenses ranging from public corruption, to giving aid and comfort to the Confederacy, to bringing dishonor upon the Senate in myriad other ways, or for pure political spite. As researched and written by staff of the Congressional Research Service, these are their stories. The arc of the book, each case told in chronological order, traces not only the tenor and politics of the times, but the evolution of the Senate's own thinking about what it means to be a United States Senator. - Summary by Joanne Turner.

Genre(s): Political Science

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 Introduction. I. Elections: Election laws, Senate election procedures and committees; types of election cases Joanne Turner
00:49:22
Play 02 Introduction. II. Discipline: Procedures, laws, and committees; types of disciplinary cases Joanne Turner
00:16:50
Play 03 Case 1. Albert Gallatin (PA) (1793-94) Joanne Turner
00:09:22
Play 04 Case 2. Kensey Johns (DE) (1794) Joanne Turner
00:05:16
Play 05 Case 3. Humphrey Marshall (KY) (1796) Joanne Turner
00:06:23
Play 06 Case 4. William Blount and William Cocke (TN) (1796) Joanne Turner
00:07:09
Play 07 Case 5. William Blount (TN) (1797) Joanne Turner
00:07:33
Play 08 Case 6. Uriah Tracy (CT) (1801) Joanne Turner
00:03:41
Play 09 Case 7. John Smith (OH) (1807-08) Joanne Turner
00:11:38
Play 10 Case 8. Samuel Smith (MD) (1809) Joanne Turner
00:06:25
Play 11 Case 9. Stanley Griswold (OH) (1809) Joanne Turner
00:03:50
Play 12 Case 10. Timothy Pickering (MA) (1810-11) Joanne Turner
00:07:59
Play 13 Case 11. Jesse Bledsoe (KY) (1815) Joanne Turner
00:04:26
Play 14 Case 12. James Lanman (CT) (1825) Joanne Turner
00:06:41
Play 15 Case 13. Ephraim Bateman (NJ) (1827-28) Joanne Turner
00:06:05
Play 16 Case 14. Elisha R. Potter v. Asher Robbins (RI) (1833-34) Joanne Turner
00:07:58
Play 17 Case 15. George Poindexter (MS) (1835) Joanne Turner
00:06:41
Play 18 Case 16. Ambrose H. Sevier (AR) (1837) Joanne Turner
00:06:11
Play 19 Case 17. John Ruggles (ME) (1838) Joanne Turner
00:04:39
Play 20 Case 18. Benjamin Tapper (OH) 1844 Joanne Turner
00:06:33
Play 21 Case 19. John M. Niles (CT) 1844 Joanne Turner
00:07:01
Play 22 Case 20. John M. Clayton (DE); Spencer Jarnagin (TN); Walter T. Colquitt (GA) 1846 Joanne Turner
00:08:49
Play 23 Case 21. James Shields (IL) 1849 Joanne Turner
00:08:04
Play 24 Case 22. Thomas Hart Benton (MO) and Henry S. Foote (MS) 1850 Joanne Turner
00:07:39
Play 25 Case 23. Robert C. Winthrop (MA) 1851 Joanne Turner
00:06:00
Play 26 Case 24. David Yulee v. Stephen Mallory (FL) 1851-52 Joanne Turner
00:07:43
Play 27 Case 25. Archibald Dixon (KY) 1852 Joanne Turner
00:06:48
Play 28 Case 26. Samuel Phelps (VT) 1854 Joanne Turner
00:07:02
Play 29 Case 27. Jared Williams (NH) 1854 Joanne Turner
00:06:47
Play 30 Case 28. Lyman Trumbull (IL) 1855-56 Joanne Turner
00:09:47
Play 31 Case 29. James Harlan (IA) 1855-57 Joanne Turner
00:09:27
Play 32 Case 30. Henry Lane v. Jesse Bright; William McCarty v. Graham Fitch (IN) 1857-59 Joanne Turner
00:09:27
Play 33 Case 31. Simon Cameron (PA) 1857 Joanne Turner
00:06:38
Play 34 Case 32. James Shields (MN) 1858 Joanne Turner
00:05:23
Play 35 Case 33. Henry Mower Rice (MN) 1858 Joanne Turner
00:06:04
Play 36 Case 34. Clement Clay (AL); Robert Toombs (GA); Jefferson Davis & Albert Brown (MS); Stephen Mallory (FL); Judah Benjamin (LA) 1861 Joanne Turner
00:10:04
Play 37 Case 35. Frederick Stanton v. James Lane (KS) 1861-62 Joanne Turner
00:11:13
Play 38 Case 36. James Mason & Robert Hunter (VA); Thomas Clingman & Thomas Bragg (NC); James Chesnut, Jr. (SC); AOP Nicholson (TN); William Sebastian (AR); Charles Mitchel (AR); John Hemphill & Louis Wigfall (TX) 1861 Joanne Turner
00:13:13
Play 39 Case 37. Waitman Willey & John Carlisle (VA) 1861 Joanne Turner
00:07:28
Play 40 Case 38. John Breckinridge (KY) 1861 Joanne Turner
00:06:34
Play 41 Case 39. Waldo Johnson & Trusten Polk (MO) 1861-62 Joanne Turner
00:07:20
Play 42 Case 40. Jesse Bright (IN) 1861-62 Joanne Turner
00:09:59
Play 43 Case 41. Benjamin Stark (OR) 1862 Joanne Turner
00:10:52
Play 44 Case 42. Lazarus Powell (KY) 1862 Joanne Turner
00:07:55
Play 45 Case 43. James F. Simmons (RI) 1862 Joanne Turner
00:05:55
Play 46 Case 44. William Fishback; Elisha Baxter; William Snow (AR) 1864-66 Joanne Turner
00:14:59
Play 47 Case 45. R. King Cutler & Charles Smith; Michael Hahn (LA) 1864-66 Joanne Turner
00:08:42
Play 48 Case 46. Joseph Segar & John Underwood (VA) 1865 Joanne Turner
00:08:29
Play 49 Case 47. John Stockton (NJ) 1865-66 Joanne Turner
00:11:04
Play 50 Case 48. David Patterson (TN) 1866 Joanne Turner
00:10:30
Play 51 Case 49. Phillip Thomas (MD) 1867-68 Joanne Turner
00:12:15
Play 52 Case 50. John Jones & Augustus Garland; Alexander McDonald & Benjamin Rice (AR) 1868 Joanne Turner
00:07:55
Play 53 Case 51. William Marvin v. Thomas Osborn (FL) 1868 Joanne Turner
00:07:22
Play 54 Case 52. Richard Whiteley & Henry Farrow v. Joshua Hill & H.V.M. Miller (GA) 1868-71 Joanne Turner
00:17:38
Play 55 Case 53. Adelbert Ames (MS) 1870 Joanne Turner
00:10:00
Play 56 Case 54. Hiram Revels (MS) 1870 Joanne Turner
00:06:18
Play 57 Case 55. Ossian Hart v. Abijah Gilbert (FL) 1870 Joanne Turner
00:07:29
Play 58 Case 56. George Goldthwaite (AL) 1871-72 Joanne Turner
00:07:24
Play 59 Case 57. Thomas Norwood v. Foster Blodgett Jr (GA) 1871 Joanne Turner
00:13:02
Play 60 Case 58. Joseph Reynolds v. Morgan Hamilton (TX) 1871 Joanne Turner
00:05:06
Play 61 Case 59. Joseph Abbott v. Zebulon Vance & Matt Ransom (NC) 1871-72 Joanne Turner
00:13:24
Play 62 Case 60. Powell Clayton (AR) 1872-73 Joanne Turner
00:11:03
Play 63 Case 61. Samuel Pomoroy & Alexander Caldwell (KS) 1872-73 Joanne Turner
00:15:07
Play 64 Case 62. Francis Sykes v. George Spencer (AL) 1872-76 Joanne Turner
00:13:45
Play 65 Case 63. Ray v. McMillen; McMillen, Eustis & Marr v. Pinchback; Spofford & Manning v. Kellogg (LA) 1873-80 Joanne Turner
00:23:02
Play 66 Case 64. Credit Mobilier scandal 1873 Joanne Turner
00:23:27
Play 67 Case 65. Lewis Bogy (MO) 1873 Joanne Turner
00:04:57
Play 68 Case 66. David Corbin v. MC Butler (SC) 1877-79 Joanne Turner
00:17:35
Play 69 Case 67. LQC Lamar (MS) 1877 Joanne Turner
00:07:02
Play 70 Case 68. John Morgan (AL) 1877 Joanne Turner
00:04:55
Play 71 Case 69. La Fayette Grover (OR) 1877-78 Joanne Turner
00:05:34
Play 72 Case 70. Stanley Matthews (OH) 1878-79 Joanne Turner
00:08:08
Play 73 Case 71. Charles Bell (NH) 1879 Joanne Turner
00:09:00
Play 74 Case 72. John Ingalls (KS) 1879-80 Joanne Turner
00:06:16
Play 75 Case 73. Elbridge Lapham & Warner Miller (NY) 1881 Joanne Turner
00:05:43
Play 76 Case 74. Henry Blair (NH) 1885 Joanne Turner
00:04:33
Play 77 Case 75. Henry Payne (OH) 1886 Joanne Turner
00:09:28
Play 78 Case 76. David Turpie (IN) 1887-88 Joanne Turner
00:06:50
Play 79 Case 77. Daniel Lucas v. Charles Faulkner (WV) 1887 Joanne Turner
00:06:15
Play 80 Case 78. Wm Clark v. Wilbur Sanders; Martin Maginnis v. Thomas Power (MT) 1890 Joanne Turner
00:09:03
Play 81 Case 79. Geo. Shoup, Wm McConnell & Wm Clagett v. Fred Dubois (ID) 1890-92 Joanne Turner
00:12:16
Play 82 Case 80. Robert Davidson v. Wilkinson Call (FL) 1891-92 Joanne Turner
00:05:15
Play 83 Case 81. Horace Chilton (TX) 1891-92 Joanne Turner
00:07:08
Play 84 Case 82. John Allen (WA), Asahel Beckwith (WY), Lee Mantle (MT) 1893 Joanne Turner
00:10:57
Play 85 Case 83. Joseph Ady v. John Martin (KS) 1893-95 Joanne Turner
00:09:15
Play 86 Case 84. Henry duPont (DE) 1895-97 Joanne Turner
00:11:48
Play 87 Case 85. Henry Corbett (OR) 1897-98 Joanne Turner
00:09:05
Play 88 Case 86. Marcus Hanna (OH) 1898-99 Joanne Turner
00:06:05
Play 89 Case 87. John McGraw v. Nathan Scott (WV) 1899-1900 Joanne Turner
00:09:16
Play 90 Case 88. Matthew Quay (PA) 1899-1900 Joanne Turner
00:06:46
Play 91 Case 89. William Clark (MT) 1899-1900 Joanne Turner
00:08:31
Play 92 Case 90. John McLaurin & Benjamin Tillman (SC) 1902 Joanne Turner
00:09:17
Play 93 Case 91. Reed Smoot (UT) 1903-07 Joanne Turner
00:10:02
Play 94 Case 92. Joseph Burton (KS) 1904-06 Joanne Turner
00:07:20
Play 95 Case 93. Charles Dietrich (SD) 1904 Joanne Turner
00:04:33
Play 96 Case 94. John Smith (MD) 1908 Joanne Turner
00:05:16
Play 97 Case 95. William Lorimer (IL) 1910-12 Joanne Turner
00:13:33
Play 98 Case 96. Isaac Stephenson (WI) 1911-12 Joanne Turner
00:10:58
Play 99 Case 97. Clarence Watson & William Chilton (WV) 1912-13 Joanne Turner
00:05:43
Play 100 Case 98. Henry Clayton & Franklin Glass (AL) 1913-14 Joanne Turner
00:08:05
Play 101 Case 99. William Jackson v. Blair Lee (MD) 1913-14 Joanne Turner
00:06:53
Play 102 Case 100. William Chilton v. Howard Sutherland (WV) 1917-18 Joanne Turner
00:07:18
Play 103 Case 101. Robert La Follette (WI) 1917-19 Joanne Turner
00:09:15
Play 104 Case 102. Henry Ford v. Truman Newberry (MI) 1918-22 Joanne Turner
00:12:54
Play 105 Case 103. George Peddy v. Earle Mayfield (TX) 1923-25 Joanne Turner
00:07:35
Play 106 Case 104. Burton Wheeler (MT) 1924 Joanne Turner
00:07:25
Play 107 Case 105. Daniel Steck v. Smith Brookhart (IA) 1925-26 Joanne Turner
00:12:47
Play 108 Case 106. Magnus Johnson v. Thomas Schall (MN) 1925-26 Joanne Turner
00:05:30
Play 109 Case 107. Holm Bursum v. Sam Bratton (NM) 1925-26 Joanne Turner
00:06:08
Play 110 Case 108. Gerald Nye (ND) 1925-26 Joanne Turner
00:07:38
Play 111 Case 109. William Wilson v. William Vare (PA) 1926-29 Joanne Turner
00:25:41
Play 112 Case 110. Frank Smith (IL) 1926-28 Joanne Turner
00:14:16
Play 113 Case 111. Arthur Gould (ME) 1926-27 Joanne Turner
00:06:03
Play 114 Case 112. Hiram Bingham (CT) 1929 Joanne Turner
00:10:03
Play 115 Case 113. Joseph Grundy (PA) 1929-30 Joanne Turner
00:05:33
Play 116 Case 114. J. Thomas Heflin v. John Bankhead II (AL) 1931-32 Joanne Turner
00:10:33
Play 117 Case 115. George Pritchard v. Josiah Bailey (NC) 1931-33 Joanne Turner
00:08:14
Play 118 Case 116. Einar Hoidale v. Thomas Schall (MN) 1932-33 Joanne Turner
00:06:52
Play 119 Case 117. Huey Long and John Overton (LA) 1932-34 Joanne Turner
00:13:59
Play 120 Case 118. Dennis Chavez v. Bronson Cutting (NM) 1935 Joanne Turner
00:11:52
Play 121 Case 119. Henry Hatfield v. Rush Holt (WV) 1935 Joanne Turner
00:11:22
Play 122 Case 120. George Berry (TN) 1937 Joanne Turner
00:06:45
Play 123 Case 121. John Neal v. A.T. Stewart (TN) 1939 Joanne Turner
00:06:26
Play 124 Case 122. Raymond Willis v. Frederick Van Nuys (IN) 1939 Joanne Turner
00:05:13
Play 125 Case 123. William Langer (ND) 1941-42 Joanne Turner
00:11:35
Play 126 Case 124. Clarence Martin v. Joseph Rosier (WV) 1941 Joanne Turner
00:10:13
Play 127 Case 125. John R. Neal v. A.T. (Tom) Stewart (TN) 1943 Joanne Turner
00:04:26
Play 128 Case 126. Theodore G. Bilbo (MS) 1946-47 Joanne Turner
00:14:20
Play 129 Case 127. D. John Markey v. Herbert R. O'Conor (MD) 1946-48 Joanne Turner
00:07:17
Play 130 Case 128. Tom Sweeney v. Harley M. Kilgore (WV) 1947-49 Joanne Turner
00:08:12
Play 131 Case 129. Frank E. Hook v. Homer Ferguson (MI) 1949 Joanne Turner
00:07:12
Play 132 Case 130. Millard Tydings v. John Marshall Butler (MD) 1950-51 Joanne Turner
00:09:08
Play 133 Case 131. Joseph R. McCarthy (WI) and Wm Benton (CT) 1951-53 Joanne Turner
00:16:38
Play 134 Case 132. Patrick J. Hurley v. Dennis Chavez (NM) 1952-54 Joanne Turner
00:17:10
Play 135 Case 133. Joseph R. McCarthy (WI) 1954 Joanne Turner
00:12:38
Play 136 Case 134. Pierre E.G. Salinger (CA) 1964) Joanne Turner
00:06:47
Play 137 Case 135. Thomas J. Dodd (CT) 1966-67 Joanne Turner
00:22:18
Play 138 Case 136. Richard L. Roudebush v. R. Vance Hartke (IN) 1970-72 Joanne Turner
00:05:39
Play 139 Case 137. John A. Durkin v. Louis C. Wyman (NH) 1974-75 Joanne Turner
00:17:44
Play 140 Case 138. Edmond A. Edmondson v. Henry L. Bellmon (OK) 1975-76 Joanne Turner
00:10:41
Play 141 Case 139. Herman E. Talmadge (GA) 1978-79 Joanne Turner
00:20:16
Play 142 Case 140. Harrison A. Williams, Jr. (NJ) 1981-82 Joanne Turner
00:13:36
Play 143 Case 141. David F. Durenberger (MN) 1988-90 Joanne Turner
00:17:23