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US Senate

Expulsion Cases

by Kathy Gill
for About.com

Since 1789, the Senate has expelled only 15 members; 14 were charged with supporting the Confederacy during the Civil War.
  • 1797; William Blount (R-TN). Charge: Anti-Spanish conspiracy; treason. Result: Expelled
  • 1808; John Smith (R-OH). Charge: Disloyalty/Treason Result: Not Expelled
  • 1858; Henry M. Rice (D-MN). Charge: Corruption. Result: Not Expelled.
  • Date: 1861; James M. Mason (D-VA) Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Expelled
  • 1861; Robert M.T. Hunter (D-VA). Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Expelled
  • 1861; Thomas L. Clingman (D-NC). Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Expelled
  • 1861; Thomas Bragg (D-NC). Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Expelled
  • 1861; James Chesnut, Jr. (D-SC). Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Expelled
  • 1861; Alfred O.P. Nicholson (D-TN). Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Expelled
  • 1861; William K. Sebastian (D-AR). Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Expelled
    Note: On March 3, 1877, the Senate reversed its decision to expel Sebastian. Because Sebastian had died in 1865, his children were paid an amount equal to his Senate salary between the time of his expulsion and the date of his death.
  • 1861; Charles B. Mitchel (D-AR). Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Expelled
  • 1861; John Hemphill (D-TX). Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Expelled
  • 1861; Louis T. Wigfall (D-TX). Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Expelled
  • 1861; John C. Breckinridge (D-KY). Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Expelled
  • 1862; Lazarus W. Powell (D-KY). Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Not Expelled
  • 1862; Trusten Polk (D-MO). Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Expelled
  • 1862; Waldo P. Johnson (D-MO). Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Expelled
  • 1862; Jesse D. Bright (D-IN). Charge: Support for Confederate rebellion. Result: Expelled
  • 1862; James F. Simmons (R-RI). Charge: Corruption. Result: Resigned
  • 1873; James W. Patterson (R-NH). Charge: Corruption. Result: Term Expired
  • 1893; William N. Roach (D-ND). Charge: Embezzlement. Result: Not Expelled
  • 1905; John H. Mitchell (R-OR). Charge: Corruption. Result: Not Expelled.
    Note: Mitchell died on December 8, while his case was still on appeal and before the Senate.
  • 1906; Joseph R. Burton (R-KS). Charge: Corruption. Result: Resigned.
    Note: Burton was indicted and convicted of receiving compensation for intervening with a federal agency. When the Supreme Court upheld his conviction, he resigned rather than face expulsion.
  • 1907; Reed Smoot (R-UT). Charge: Mormonism. Result: Not Expelled
  • 1919; Robert M. La Follette (R-WI). Charge: Disloyalty (for giving a speech in 1917 opposing US entry into World War I). Result: Not Expelled
  • 1922; Truman H. Newberry (R-MI). Charge: Election fraud. Result: Resigned
  • 1924; Burton K. Wheeler (D-MT). Charge: Conflict of interest. Result: Not Expelled
  • 1934; John H. Overton (D-LA). Charge: Election fraud. Result: No Senate action
  • 1934; Huey P. Long (D-LA). Charge: Election fraud. Result: No Senate action
  • 1942; William Langer (R-ND). Charge: Corruption. Result: Not Expelled
  • 1982; Harrison A. Williams, Jr. (D-NJ). Charge: Corruption (ABSCAM). Result: Resigned
  • 1995; Robert W. Packwood (R-OR). Charge: Sexual misconduct and abuse of power. Result: Resigned the day after the Committee on Ethics issued its recommendation for expulsion.
Source: US Senate

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