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Transcript

Impeachment

in the U.S.

What is impeachment

Impeachment in politics is when a legislative body (Congress) charges a government official with a political crime.

Causes

What

Causes

Treason

"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court." - U.S. Constitution

Bribery

Persuading an elected official to act in a favorable manner by offering gifts/money.

High crimes and misdemeanors

Not defined by the Constitution, but historically encompasses a range of activities that Congress considers abusing power and betraying public trust.

Meaning

A method to remove a government official from office. However, impeachment itself does not automatically remove someone from office. Rather, impeachment triggers a trial. If Senate finds an impeached official guilty of the charges against them, the official is then removed from office.

Who is involved

Who

Government official

A government official, including the president, vice president, or any other civil officer of the United States, does something that could be considered treason, bribery, or a high crime/misdemeanor.

House of Representatives

Judiciary Committee

This select group of House Representatives conduct hearings. They can interview witnesses, Constitutional law experts, or any other source relevant to their impeachment decision.

Following the hearings, the committee votes on whether to prepare articles of impeachment. These are specific, formal charges against the official.

Full House

If the articles of impeachment gain majority vote in the Judiciary Committee, they are sent to the House floor. Here, the entire House of Representatives votes to accept or reject these articles of impeachment. If they vote to accept any of the articles, they are impeaching the official.

Senate

House passes articles of impeachment, official stands trial in the Senate.

The Senate votes on whether the official is guilty of the charges against him/her. If two thirds of the Senate votes to convict the official, the official is removed from office.

History

Andrew Johnson

1865-1869

Charged with conspiring against Congress, failure to enforce Reconstruction Acts, and disobeying a law. Senate does not convict, stays in office.

Richard Nixon

1969-1974

House Judiciary Committee drafts three articles of impeachment: obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt for Congress. Nixon resigns before the full House votes on these articles, so he is never technically impeached.

Bill Clinton

1993-2001

Charged with lying under oath and obstruction of justice. Senate does not convict Clinton; he remains in office.

President Donald J. Trump

2016-present

2019

The Lead Up

The Call

In July, 2019, President Trump calls Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to a call transcript, he asks Zelensky to "do us a favor" and “look into” the actions of former Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden. The President also asks Zelensky to investigate a largely debunked theory that Ukrainians, not Russians, interfered in America’s 2016 election.

The Fallout

A whistleblower raises concerns about this phone call to Senate and House intelligence committees. The whistleblower suggests President Trump withheld foreign aid from Ukraine in order to force its leader to investigate President Trump's political rival. In doing so, the whistleblower says the President called on a foreign power to intervene in a domestic election for his own, political benefit.

Impeachment

The Inquiry

News spreads throughWashington, and calls for impeachment begin to surface. Eventually, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calls for an official impeachment inquiry, claiming the President "breached his constitutional responsibilities." The House Intelligence Committee spearheads the inquiry, holding private, then public, hearings in which they interview witnesses to the phone call and Ukrainian diplomats. These depositions give House Representatives a pretense to begin the official impeachment process.

Articles of Impeachment

On December 4, the scene shifts to the House Judiciary Committee, which draws up two articles of impeachment against President Trump: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Committee votes along party lines to impeach the President on both articles.

The Vote

The impeachment process moves to the full house. On Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, the House of Representatives votes to impeach President Trump on both articles, making him the third U.S. president to ever be impeached.

Next Steps

Now that President Trump is impeached, the Senate will decide whether to convict him on the two charges and remove him from office. The Senate needs a 2/3 majority vote to convict the President. Because the Senate is comprised of majority Republicans, President Trump will likely remain in office. The trial is expected to begin in January, though partisan disagreement over the trial's ground rules is currently stalling the process.

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