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(CNN) - The United States Congress has conducted two presidential political trials: President Andrew Johnson in 1868, for firing a cabinet secretary without the consent of Congress, and President Bill Clinton in 1998 for perjury and obstruction of Justice.
Both Johnson and Clinton were acquitted, so they remained in office.
President Richard M. Nixon faced a possible political trial for obstruction of justice, abuse of power and contempt of Congress in relation to the Watergate scandal. He resigned in 1974, before a vote was held in the House of Representatives.
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In addition to these presidential trials, Congress has conducted another 17 trials for federal officials, including judges, a cabinet member and a senator.
At the state level, state legislatures have the power to accuse and dismiss governors. Two notable examples are Arizona Governor Evan Mecham in 1988 and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in 2009.
President Andrew Johnson (1865-1869)
Andrew Johnson, a Democrat, took office after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. In the midst of efforts to unite the country after the Civil War, Johnson faced the "radical Republicans" who wanted to speed up the reconstruction process. and grant rights to free slaves.
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To introduce control over its power, Congress passed a law prohibiting the president from firing designated officials, including cabinet secretaries, without Senate approval.
February 21, 1868 - Johnson dismisses Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, who supported the campaign of "radical Republicans" for reconstruction.
February 24, 1868 - The House of Representatives votes 126-47 to accuse Johnson for firing Stanton.
March 5 - May 26, 1868 - Judgment in the Senate . Johnson is acquitted with a vote of 35-19, one vote less than the majority of the two-thirds needed to dismiss the president. Johnson fulfills the rest of his term (until March 4, 1869), but does not run for re-election. Democrats choose to nominate Horatio Seymour over Johnson during the prelude to the 1868 elections.
1926 - The Supreme Court annuls the Office Tenure Law, the basis of Johnson's accusation.
President Bill Clinton (1993-2001)
Clinton was sued in 1994 by Paula Jones for sexual harassment. Although Clinton and Jones finally settled the lawsuit instead of going to trial, the litigation sparked an investigation into whether Clinton obstructed justice and lied under oath. The investigation focused on Clinton's relationship with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky.
The president repeatedly denied having a love affair, but finally said his relationship was inappropriate. Clinton's investigation was overseen by a special prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, who was originally appointed to investigate possible financial crimes related to a land agreement in Arkansas and a development company called Whitewater. In 1998, after a four-year investigation, Starr produced a 445-page report detailing Clinton's relationship with Lewinsky. The report listed acts that could be grounds for political trial.
December 19, 1998 - Four charges of political trial are presented in the House of Representatives. Two charges are approved. One, approved by a 228-206 vote, alleges that Clinton committed perjury when he told a grand jury that he had no affair with Lewinsky. The other, approved by a vote of 221-212, alleges that Clinton coerced Lewinsky to take an oath on their relationship. Two other charges, alleging abuse of power and more perjury, fail to obtain a simple majority.
January 7, 1999 - February 12, 1999 - The trial is conducted and Clinton acquitted. For the charge of perjury, 55 senators vote not guilty and for the charge of obstruction of justice, 50 senators vote to acquit the president. Clinton fulfills the rest of his term.
Donald Trump Political Judgment