On Thursday, March 27, 2025, Reason senior editor Damon Root published an article exploring historical lessons from the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase and their relevance to today’s political landscape. The piece details early 19th-century judicial conflicts and draws connections to current dynamics involving President Donald Trump.
The article first highlights the impeachment of John Pickering, a federal judge from New Hampshire and the first federal official removed from office. Appointed by President George Washington, Pickering aligned with the Federalists. After Thomas Jefferson’s 1800 election, Jefferson’s allies targeted Pickering to curb Federalist judicial influence. Accused of mental instability and intoxication, Pickering’s behavior was debated under constitutional provisions requiring judges to serve “during good Behavior” or face removal for “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” In 1803, Congress secured a two-thirds Senate majority to oust him.
This precedent set the stage for a larger battle over Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase, a vocal Federalist. Chase’s role in Sedition Act trials under President John Adams, including the 1800 prosecution of James Callender, fueled Jeffersonian opposition. Callender, a Jefferson-supported writer, was jailed for attacking Adams as unstable and unfit. Jefferson later pardoned him after winning the presidency. In 1804, Congress charged Chase with bias in Callender’s trial and partisan misconduct. Despite a majority favoring impeachment, the Senate lacked the two-thirds vote needed for removal, influenced by concerns over judicial independence. Chase stayed on the bench, the only Supreme Court justice ever impeached.
Root’s article ties these events to President Trump, who has voiced intentions to remove federal judges opposing his policies. It notes that, like Jefferson, Trump faces potential pushback from his own party. The piece cites Franklin Roosevelt’s failed 1937 court-packing effort, opposed by fellow Democrats, as a parallel. Root suggests Republicans might hesitate to impeach judges, fearing Democratic retaliation if successful, given the current lack of a two-thirds Senate majority to convict.
Source: Reason
