Impeachment
| It's not just a good idea |
| Random enforcement |
Impeachment refers to the initiation of a legal process which leads to a public figure (most often the head of government) being removed from office.
In the United States, impeachment begins when the House of Representatives (the lower house of Congress) draws up articles of impeachment against the official to be impeached. After much debate, the full House then votes on them.
If any of the articles so drawn up receive a majority of votes in favor, this is presented as a formal accusation, or indictment, before the US Senate. In the Senate, it is tried in a manner similar to a criminal case. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court acts as judge. The Senate as a whole is a trier of fact that determines if the charges made by the House of Representatives is true, similar to a jury. After both sides have finished presenting their cases, the Senate votes on whether or not to remove the official in question. It takes a two-thirds majority to remove the person; the proceedings usually also involve a ban on ever holding public office again. In addition to impeachment, the official may also be tried in a separate action for criminal conduct in court. Impeachments are usually used against officials in the executive branch as well as judges. Representatives and Senators are usually expelled according to the rules of their respective houses.
Presidents Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson were both impeached, being the only two presidents ever to go through the process. The House had begun to draw up articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon as well, but he resigned before the House could vote on them. Andrew Johnson avoided conviction by a single vote; neither count against Clinton received even a simple majority of votes.
[edit] Grounds for impeachment
The constitutional grounds for impeachment are rather vague, being simply "The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." There has been much wrangling as to what constitutes "high crimes and misdemeanors," and the political consequences of such a move.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- A Short History of Impeachment
- LII Backgrounder on Impeachment, Cornell University Law School
- Representative Barbara Jordan's "Inquisitor speech"