Impeachment in The United States: How Does It Work?
DW
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What Is It?
Impeachment is a constitutional process whereby Congress brings charges against civil officials of the government who allegedly committed crimes.
The founders of the United States gave Congress powers to remove from office "the president, vice president, and all civil officers of the United States" if the accused is convicted of "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanours."
Simply put, to impeach means to bring charges similar to an indictment in court.
How Does It Work?
The House has the "sole power of impeachment." The House Judiciary Committee is usually responsible for impeachment proceedings. The House debates and votes on whether to bring charges by a simple majority of the House's 435 members. In this role, the House serves as a grand jury bringing charges against an officer.
Also read: US House Launches Impeachment Inquiry Against Donald Trump for Ukraine Call
The Senate has the "sole power to try all impeachments," meaning that it has the power to convict. When the president is tried, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over proceedings.
Has Impeachment Happened Before?
Only two presidents in US history have been impeached: Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. However, neither was removed from office by the Senate. Richard Nixon resigned to avoid a House impeachment vote.
The House has initiated impeachment proceedings more than 60 times. However, only a third of cases resulted in full impeachment. Just 8 officials — all federal judges have been convicted and removed from office.
How Would a President Be Removed From Office?
For the president to be removed from office, a two-thirds majority in the 100-seat Senate must vote to convict. If they do, the president must step down. In the case of Donald Trump, his Republican party currently controls the Senate, making it highly unlikely he will be forced out.
This article was originally published on DW. You can read it here.
This article went live on September twenty-fifth, two thousand nineteen, at fifty-four minutes past eleven in the morning.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.