Revolution 2.0

Introduction In American history, 3 presidents have been impeached. What was the motivation? That is the subject of today’s 10-minute episode.  Continuing Andrew Johnson, Democrat, and the 17th President, was impeached in 1868. The vote to impeach was generally along party lines, with 122 Republicans and 4 Democrats voting Yea, and 2 Republicans and 45 Democrats voting Nay. The heavily Republican Senate almost succeeded in removing Johnson, voting 35-19 in favor of conviction–one vote shy of the 36 needed for a ⅔ majority. Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998 along party lines, and the vote in the Senate to not convict was also along party lines. The third US President ever to be impeached is Donald Trump, whose impeachment vote also adhered to party doctrine even more strictly than either the Johnson or Clinton votes.  The only President who was ever removed due to an impeachment process was Richard Nixon, who escaped sure impeachment and conviction by resigning. He escaped forced removal by removi