WASHINGTON — The second impeachment of Former President Donald Trump is the first time a president has been tried for insurrection, but what about other elected officials?
It’s a fair question given the history of the United States.
Question:
Is former President Trump the first person to be impeached for insurrection?
Answer:
Yes.
Sources:
The United States Senate records and Constitutional Law Professor Dr. Mark Graber from the University of Maryland.
What We Found:
Former President Trump is the first president to face an impeachment trial after leaving office.
It’s also another first for a president: He’s accused of inciting an insurrection.
However, with episodes like the Civil War, we asked Dr. Graber if other elected officials have been impeached for insurrection.
“The answer is, no one has been impeached and convicted of insurrection,” Dr. Graber explained. “People have been impeached and convicted, but not of insurrection.
So that’s a, no. Former President Trump will be the first person to be tried for insurrection.
If you’re scratching your head, you’re not alone. What about those senators and congressmen who joined the Confederacy before and during the Civil War?
“Impeachment is something that's done for members of the executive and judicial branch,” Dr. Graber said. “Senators may be expelled, representatives may be expelled, but, they're not impeached."
Which means there is a whole generation of senators and representatives that were expelled from office, but none of them faced a senate impeachment trial.
Which makes Trump the first federal official to be tried for insurrection against the United States.