Impeachment is a constitutional process for responding to serious misconduct by certain federal officials, including the president, vice president, and federal judges. It matters because it gives Congress a way to hold powerful officials accountable without using ordinary elections or criminal courts as the only tools. The process is political and constitutional, not the same as a criminal trial.
It is designed to balance accountability with safeguards against removing officials too easily.
The House of Representatives has the sole power to impeach, which means it can formally accuse an official by approving articles of impeachment. The Senate has the sole power to try impeachments, which means senators hear the case and vote on whether to convict and remove the official. Conviction requires a two-thirds vote of senators present, making removal difficult unless there is broad agreement.
Grounds for impeachment are listed in the Constitution as treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
Key Facts
- The House impeaches by approving one or more articles of impeachment with a simple majority vote.
- The Senate holds the impeachment trial and decides whether to convict or acquit.
- Removal from office requires a two-thirds vote of the senators present: votes needed = 2/3 × senators present.
- If all 100 senators are present, conviction requires 67 votes because 2/3 × 100 = 66.67, rounded up to 67.
- The constitutional grounds are treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
- Impeachment is an accusation, while removal happens only after Senate conviction.
Vocabulary
- Impeachment
- A formal accusation by the House of Representatives that a federal official committed impeachable misconduct.
- Articles of Impeachment
- Written charges approved by the House that describe the alleged misconduct.
- Conviction
- A Senate decision that the official is guilty of the impeachment charges.
- Removal
- The loss of office that follows if the Senate convicts an impeached official.
- High Crimes and Misdemeanors
- A constitutional phrase referring to serious abuses of public office, not only ordinary criminal offenses.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Saying impeachment automatically removes an official is wrong because impeachment is only the formal accusation made by the House.
- Thinking the Supreme Court removes the president is wrong because the Senate conducts the impeachment trial and votes on conviction.
- Using a simple majority for Senate removal is wrong because conviction requires a two-thirds vote of senators present.
- Treating impeachment as only a criminal process is wrong because it is a constitutional process focused on fitness for office, even if the conduct may also be criminal.
Practice Questions
- 1 If the House has 435 members and 218 vote for an article of impeachment, does the article pass by simple majority? Explain your answer.
- 2 In a Senate impeachment trial, 96 senators are present. How many votes are needed to convict and remove the official?
- 3 An official is impeached by the House but acquitted by the Senate. Explain what happens to the official's position and why.