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Here's how impeachment works and what’s happened with previous presidents
National Desk Staff
Here's how impeachment works and what’s happened with previous presidents
What's the deal with impeachment? This is more of a journey than the destination, so hang tight. Now the Constitution doesn't actually say a ton about impeachment, but Article two Section four, lays out the basic criteria 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. Now that last phrase doesn't have anything to do with actual crimes high misdemeanor or otherwise. It's just a old term from Britain that basically, let's Congress investigate whether an official did something they think is really bad. Let's take this from the top. So the Constitution says that the House of Representatives is the only place where impeachment can start. It's usually the job of the Judiciary Committee to do an impeachment inquiry. That means ah, lot of investigations and hearings, eventually ending in a decision whether or not to recommend official charges. Those are the articles of impeachment. Stick with me. We're only halfway home now. It's then up to the full house to vote on whether or not to move this down the road to the Senate. All they need is a simple majority. The Senate is the court, the jury and the judge will. Except for when the president is being impeached, Then the chief justice of the Supreme Court is running the show. 01 more thing. The Senate doesn't actually have to hold an impeachment trial. They're just the only ones who can. Now, with House just needs a majority of its members. To get the impeachment to the Senate, two thirds of the Senate have to vote in favor of conviction that 67 out of 100 if they do the person is kicked out office with no chance of appeal in our system of checks and balances, founding father James Madison said that impeachment is quote for defending the community against the incapacity, negligence or perfidy of federal officials. Perfect means deceitfulness, Madison like words. Even I had looked out all right. Now we're done, and that's the basic deal with impeachment.
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Here's how impeachment works and what’s happened with previous presidents
National Desk Staff
Multiple presidents have faced formal impeachment proceedings that led to various outcomes.Here’s what could happen based on House, Senate and other government materials that document the constitutional process to remove the commander in chief.The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the sole power to impeach an official, who can be convicted and removed from office in a Senate impeachment trial.Impeach means to bring a formal charge against a public official. You can be impeached by the House but acquitted through the Senate trial.What’s happened with impeachment in the past?Here are the most notable cases:— President Andrew Johnson was impeached and acquitted in 1868, falling one vote short of the two-thirds Senate majority needed to convict. Johnson took over after President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated during the aftermath of the Civil War, and impeachment proceedings against Johnson came after he removed Secretary of War Edwin Stanton from the Cabinet.— In 1974, the House Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment to go before the House regarding President Richard Nixon. A special prosecution force said Nixon participated in a conspiracy to obstruct justice by concealing the identity of those responsible for the Watergate break-in and other criminal offenses. Nixon resigned before the House voted on the articles.— President Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998 amid the sexual scandal involving White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The House impeached Clinton on two articles: providing perjurious and misleading testimony to a federal grand jury and an obstruction of justice charge. The Senate acquitted him of both articles in 1999.— In December 2019, President Donald Trump was impeached by the House on two articles: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. House Democrats claimed the president abused power like no other leader in U.S. history when he pressured Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, ahead of the 2020 election. The Senate acquitted him on both articles in February. The final tallies — 52-48 favoring acquittal of abuse of power, 53-47 of obstruction of Congress' investigation — fell far short of the two-thirds majority needed to convict.— In January 2021, Trump became the first president in American history to be impeached twice. The House impeached him on a single article — incitement of insurrection following the deadly siege on the U.S. Capitol. Trump's lawyers have argued that a Senate impeachment trial is unconstitutional as it's being held after he left office. While the Senate voted to proceed with the trial 56-44, the total was still far from the two-thirds threshold of 67 votes that would be needed for conviction.What’s considered an impeachable offense?The Constitution says the president and others can be removed from office through impeachment given a conviction of treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. A Congressional Research Service report said Congress has identified impeachable conduct for issues such as improperly exceeding or abusing the powers of the office as well as misusing the office for an improper purpose or for personal gain.How does it work?The House brings impeachment charges. Individual members of the House can introduce impeachment resolutions like ordinary bills, but the House also can initiate proceedings by passing a resolution authorizing an inquiry.The Judiciary committee ordinarily has jurisdiction over impeachments. If it moves forward, appointed House members act as prosecutors during a Senate trial. A conviction of any one of the articles of impeachment requires the support of a two-thirds majority of the senators present.What if a conviction occurs?If the Senate gives a two-thirds majority vote on any article of impeachment, the result is removal from office. The Senate can also vote separately if the person should be disqualified from holding office in the future. Per the Constitution, if a president is removed or resigns from office, the vice president takes over.

Multiple presidents have faced formal impeachment proceedings that led to various outcomes.

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Here’s what could happen based on , and other government materials that document the constitutional process to remove the commander in chief.

The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the sole power to impeach an official, who can be convicted and removed from office in a Senate impeachment trial.

Impeach means to bring a formal charge against a public official. You can be impeached by the House but acquitted through the Senate trial.

What’s happened with impeachment in the past?

Here are the most notable cases:

— President Andrew Johnson was impeached and acquitted in 1868, falling one vote short of the two-thirds Senate majority needed to convict. Johnson took over after President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated during the aftermath of the Civil War, and impeachment proceedings against Johnson came after he removed Secretary of War Edwin Stanton from the Cabinet.

— In 1974, the House Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment to go before the House regarding President Richard Nixon. A said Nixon participated in a conspiracy to obstruct justice by concealing the identity of those responsible for the Watergate break-in and other criminal offenses. Nixon resigned before the House voted on the articles.

— President Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998 amid the sexual scandal involving White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The House impeached Clinton on two articles: providing perjurious and misleading testimony to a federal grand jury and an obstruction of justice charge. The Senate acquitted him of both articles in 1999.

— In December 2019, President Donald Trump was impeached by the House on two articles: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. House Democrats claimed the president abused power like no other leader in U.S. history when he pressured Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, ahead of the 2020 election. The Senate acquitted him on both articles in February. The final tallies — 52-48 favoring acquittal of abuse of power, 53-47 of obstruction of Congress' investigation — fell far short of the two-thirds majority needed to convict.

— In January 2021, Trump became the first president in American history to be impeached twice. The House impeached him on a single article — incitement of insurrection following the deadly siege on the U.S. Capitol. Trump's lawyers have argued that a Senate impeachment trial is unconstitutional as it's being held after he left office. While the Senate voted to proceed with the trial 56-44, the total was still far from the two-thirds threshold of 67 votes that would be needed for conviction.

What’s considered an impeachable offense?

The Constitution says the president and others can be removed from office through impeachment given a conviction of treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. A said Congress has identified impeachable conduct for issues such as improperly exceeding or abusing the powers of the office as well as misusing the office for an improper purpose or for personal gain.

How does it work?

The House brings impeachment charges. Individual members of the like ordinary bills, but the House also can initiate proceedings by passing a resolution authorizing an inquiry.

The Judiciary committee ordinarily has jurisdiction over impeachments. If it moves forward, appointed House members act as prosecutors during a Senate trial. A conviction of any one of the articles of impeachment requires the support of a two-thirds majority of the senators present.

What if a conviction occurs?

If the Senate gives a two-thirds majority vote on any article of impeachment, the result is removal from office. The Senate can also vote separately if the person should be disqualified from holding office in the future. Per the Constitution, if a president is removed or resigns from office, the vice president takes over.