Presidential Impeachment Impeachment This is when the President

Presidential Impeachment

Impeachment • This is when the President is put on trial for committing “high crimes and misdemeanors”

The Process… • There is a two-step process involved. Step One • The House of Representatives holds hearings, then votes to impeach the President. • If the House of Representatives vote in favor, by a simple majority, the House sends Articles of Impeachment to the Senate. Step Two • The Senate conducts a trial of the President to decide if the President is guilty of the crimes charge in the Articles of Impeachment. • If two-thirds of the Senate votes to accept any Article of Impeachment, the President is automatically removed from office

Examples… • Andrew Johnson (1867) – Reconstruction President who was in a fight with his own party over handling of former slave states, which led to his successful impeachment. • He was acquitted/found not guilty by one-vote in the Senate, so he was allowed to stay in office. • Remember if the President is found guilty by 2/3 of the Senators, then he is removed from office. Being impeached does not mean you are removed from office.

• Richard Nixon (1974) – following evidence that he had knowledge of break-ins done for his political benefit, Nixon resigned rather than face impeachment

• Bill Clinton (1998) – charged with perjury (lying under oath) and obstruction of justice after lying about an affair with a White House intern. This effort did not lead to his removal from office.