Expulsion from the United States Congress
Updated: 11/5/2025, 10:49:57 PM Wikipedia source
Expulsion is the most serious form of disciplinary action that can be taken against a member of Congress. The United States Constitution (Article I, Section 5, Clause 2) provides that "Each House [of Congress] may determine the Rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member." The process for expulsion from the House of Representatives differs somewhat from the process for expulsion from the Senate. Censure, a less severe form of disciplinary action, is an official sanction of a member. It does not remove a member from office.
Tables
Table key · Expulsions from Congress
†
†
N.V.
†
No recorded vote
Posthumously reversed
| N.V. | No recorded vote |
| † | Posthumously reversed |
Expelled members of Congress · Expulsions from Congress
William Blount
William Blount
Name
William Blount
Year
1797
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic-Republican
State
Tennessee
Reason
Treason and conspiracy to incite a rebellion of Creek and Cherokee to aid the British in conquering the Spanish territory of West Florida.
Vote
25–1
James M. Mason
James M. Mason
Name
James M. Mason
Year
1861
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic
State
Virginia
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
32–10
Robert M. T. Hunter
Robert M. T. Hunter
Name
Robert M. T. Hunter
Year
1861
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic
State
Virginia
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
32–10
Thomas L. Clingman
Thomas L. Clingman
Name
Thomas L. Clingman
Year
1861
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic
State
North Carolina
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
32–10
Thomas Bragg
Thomas Bragg
Name
Thomas Bragg
Year
1861
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic
State
North Carolina
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
32–10
James Chesnut Jr.
James Chesnut Jr.
Name
James Chesnut Jr.
Year
1861
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic
State
South Carolina
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
32–10
Alfred O. P. Nicholson
Alfred O. P. Nicholson
Name
Alfred O. P. Nicholson
Year
1861
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic
State
Tennessee
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
32–10
William K. Sebastian †
William K. Sebastian †
Name
William K. Sebastian †
Year
1861
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic
State
Arkansas
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
32–10
Charles B. Mitchel
Charles B. Mitchel
Name
Charles B. Mitchel
Year
1861
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic
State
Arkansas
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
32–10
John Hemphill
John Hemphill
Name
John Hemphill
Year
1861
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic
State
Texas
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
32–10
Louis Wigfall
Louis Wigfall
Name
Louis Wigfall
Year
1861
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic
State
Texas
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
32–10
John C. Breckinridge
John C. Breckinridge
Name
John C. Breckinridge
Year
1861
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic
State
Kentucky
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
36–0
Trusten Polk
Trusten Polk
Name
Trusten Polk
Year
1862
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic
State
Missouri
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
36–0
Waldo P. Johnson
Waldo P. Johnson
Name
Waldo P. Johnson
Year
1862
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic
State
Missouri
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
35–0
Jesse D. Bright
Jesse D. Bright
Name
Jesse D. Bright
Year
1862
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democratic
State
Indiana
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
32–14
John Bullock Clark
John Bullock Clark
Name
John Bullock Clark
Year
1862
Chamber
House
Party
Democratic
State
Missouri
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
94–45
John William Reid
John William Reid
Name
John William Reid
Year
1862
Chamber
House
Party
Democratic
State
Missouri
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
N.V.
Henry Cornelius Burnett
Henry Cornelius Burnett
Name
Henry Cornelius Burnett
Year
1862
Chamber
House
Party
Democratic
State
Kentucky
Reason
Supporting the Confederate rebellion.
Vote
N.V.
Michael Myers
Michael Myers
Name
Michael Myers
Year
1980
Chamber
House
Party
Democratic
State
Pennsylvania
Reason
Conviction for bribery in connection with the Abscam scandal.
Vote
376–30
James Traficant
James Traficant
Name
James Traficant
Year
2002
Chamber
House
Party
Democratic
State
Ohio
Reason
Conviction for bribery, racketeering, and tax evasion.
Vote
420–1
George Santos
George Santos
Name
George Santos
Year
2023
Chamber
House
Party
Republican
State
New York
Reason
Findings of fraud and misuse of campaign funds by the House Ethics Committee.
Vote
311–114
| Portrait | Name | Year | Chamber | Party | State | Reason | Vote | Ref. |
| | William Blount | 1797 | Senate | Democratic-Republican | Tennessee | Treason and conspiracy to incite a rebellion of Creek and Cherokee to aid the British in conquering the Spanish territory of West Florida. | 25–1 | |
| | James M. Mason | 1861 | Senate | Democratic | Virginia | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 32–10 | |
| | Robert M. T. Hunter | 1861 | Senate | Democratic | Virginia | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 32–10 | |
| | Thomas L. Clingman | 1861 | Senate | Democratic | North Carolina | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 32–10 | |
| | Thomas Bragg | 1861 | Senate | Democratic | North Carolina | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 32–10 | |
| | James Chesnut Jr. | 1861 | Senate | Democratic | South Carolina | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 32–10 | |
| | Alfred O. P. Nicholson | 1861 | Senate | Democratic | Tennessee | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 32–10 | |
| | William K. Sebastian † | 1861 | Senate | Democratic | Arkansas | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 32–10 | |
| | Charles B. Mitchel | 1861 | Senate | Democratic | Arkansas | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 32–10 | |
| | John Hemphill | 1861 | Senate | Democratic | Texas | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 32–10 | |
| | Louis Wigfall | 1861 | Senate | Democratic | Texas | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 32–10 | |
| | John C. Breckinridge | 1861 | Senate | Democratic | Kentucky | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 36–0 | |
| | Trusten Polk | 1862 | Senate | Democratic | Missouri | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 36–0 | |
| | Waldo P. Johnson | 1862 | Senate | Democratic | Missouri | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 35–0 | |
| | Jesse D. Bright | 1862 | Senate | Democratic | Indiana | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 32–14 | |
| | John Bullock Clark | 1862 | House | Democratic | Missouri | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | 94–45 | |
| | John William Reid | 1862 | House | Democratic | Missouri | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | N.V. | |
| | Henry Cornelius Burnett | 1862 | House | Democratic | Kentucky | Supporting the Confederate rebellion. | N.V. | |
| | Michael Myers | 1980 | House | Democratic | Pennsylvania | Conviction for bribery in connection with the Abscam scandal. | 376–30 | |
| | James Traficant | 2002 | House | Democratic | Ohio | Conviction for bribery, racketeering, and tax evasion. | 420–1 | |
| | George Santos | 2023 | House | Republican | New York | Findings of fraud and misuse of campaign funds by the House Ethics Committee. | 311–114 |
References
- The Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/01/05/senators-expelled-lincoln-election-trump
- Expulsion of Members of Congress: Legal Authority and Historical Practicehttps://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R45078.pdf
- www.senate.govhttps://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/expulsion/Blount_expulsion.htm
- www.senate.govhttps://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/expulsion/036CivilWarCases1_expulsion.htm
- www.senate.govhttps://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/expulsion/038Breckinridge_expulsion.htm
- www.senate.govhttps://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/expulsion/039CivilWarCases_expulsion.htm
- www.senate.govhttps://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/expulsion/040JesseBright_expulsion.htm
- history.house.govhttps://history.house.gov/Institution/Discipline/Expulsion-Censure-Reprimand/
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1981/05/03/weekinreview/the-nation-exit-mr-lederer.html
- BBChttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdx6l3p5lrro
- New Jersey Monitorhttps://newjerseymonitor.com/2024/05/16/gold-bars-in-baggies-and-cash-crammed-in-boots-prosecutors-detail-menendezs-hoarded-riches/
- "4 Briefing on Expulsion and Censure"https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Expulsion_Censure.htm
- GovTrack.ushttps://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/burton_wheeler/411492
- BBChttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66987488
- Roll Callhttps://rollcall.com/2023/12/07/house-censures-rep-jamaal-bowman-for-pulling-fire-alarm/
- BBChttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz99x0w65dyo
- AP Newshttps://apnews.com/article/george-santos-expel-house-republicans-new-york-249bd2341d157bc6727b77607d8d45ae
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/01/george-santos-expelled-congress-vote
- "Roll Call 691 – Bill Number: H. Res. 878"https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023691