Question

What is the formal impeachment process? Was Bill Clinton impeached? Why or why not? Has any President been impeached? If so, who, when, how and why? If not, were any presidents close to being impeached?

Answer 1

In the US constitution, the president, vice president can be impeached and removed from their office for treason, bribery and crimes. There is a process set for impeachment and two parties play a role namely the House of Representatives and the senate. The house judiciary committee decides whether there are nay grounds as to whether the president has to be impeached. Then the senate will decide on the verdict of impeachment. The chairman of the judicial committee will call for a formal inquiry regarding the impeachment. The judiciary committee will send the details to the House of Representatives. Then the full house of representatives will discuss and debate on each of the articles of impeachment. Then the majority will make a decision as to whether the president has to be impeached and will announce impeachment. However, the president will still remain in the office until the senate begins the impeachment trial.

In the Senate, the articles of impeachment are received and will hold a trial for the President. The president is represented by his lawyers. Few house members will serve as prosecutors, the chief justice of Supreme Court and the senators will act as the jury. The senate will hold a private session in order to decide on the verdict and then will hold a public session in order to vote.

President Bill Clinton was impeached on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice due to his affair with the white house intern Monica Lewinsky. However President Clinton was acquitted from the case later and resumed his duties of his role as president.

No Presidents in the US history has ever been impeached from their office. However, 4 presidents were close to being impeached. President Andrew Johnson was impeached for his role in the post-civil war matters as the congress was not happy. However, he was acquitted by the Senate. The congress had introduced a resolution to impeach John Tyler, however, the resolution did not go through. The congress was having a discussion on whether the president Richard Nixon had to be impeached, but the president resigned during the discussion.