This morning on Dave Does History, we head back to 1805 for a political showdown that nearly shattered the balance of power in America.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase—a signer of the Declaration and a fiery Federalist—stood trial in the Senate, impeached by Jefferson’s allies for partisan bluster from the bench. But was it justice, or just politics?

Today we unpack how a bitter feud between Jefferson and the Federalist judiciary sparked the only impeachment of a Supreme Court Justice—and why his acquittal may have saved the independence of the American courts.

It’s history with lessons for us today, only on Bill Mick Live.