Under the direction of President John Adams, the Congress passed the Sedition Act of 1798, which made it a criminal offence to publish statements critical of the federal government. The first individual to be tried under the law was Rep. Matthew Lyon, who unsurprisingly had voted against its passage. Lyon was re-elected from jail.
Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) became the first openly LGBT senator in 2012.
Learn the story of a place through the people that represented it through history
Sen. Rand Paul's motion to hold that the Senate cannot try an impeached official who is no longer in office was defeated 55-45. Most legal scholars agree such a trial is permissible.
Explore current and historical political parties, map party control, and learn about polarization.
