9781422275658

None of these beliefs is accurate. Clearly, there is great confusion about just what impeachment is and what “being impeached” means. Part of the reason that there is so much con- fusion over the impeach- ment process is that it has rarely been used in the United States. Americans are unfamiliar with the process’s complex legal terms and procedures simply because it has been set into motion very infrequently, especially at

The Basic Process

As outlined in the Constitution, the federal impeachment process is startlingly simple and straightforward considering the politi- cal turmoil and national chaos that its out- come can produce. Federal officeholders who can be impeached include not only the president but also the vice president and “all civil officers of the United States.” Over time, this group has been understood to in- clude federal judges and cabinet members (such as the secretary of defense or the secretary of education), but not senators or representatives.

the presidential level. This is a testament to the seriousness and responsibility with which impeachment is approached by those who have the power to wield it. It is not a process to enter into lightly, as its consequences for the nation can be dire and destabilizing. What exactly is impeachment, and what does it mean for an official to be impeached? The best way to understand the impeachment process is to think of it as a trial. Just as in a criminal or civil trial, accusations are made, investigations into wrongdoing are performed, charges are brought, and the “suspect” is tried before a judge and jury. In this case, however, the judge is the chief justice of the United States, the jury members are senators, and the prosecuting attorneys are members of the House of Representatives.

A primer on impeachment.

12

impeachment