Impeachment

The House's approval of one or more articles is impeachment; it is analogous to a formal accusation rather than a conviction. A House majority can impeach, after which the Senate has the sole power to try the case. In a presidential impeachment trial, the Chief Justice assumes the presiding role.

Conviction requires two-thirds of senators present. The constitutional judgment can extend to removal and possible disqualification from future federal office; the Senate has treated disqualification as a separate decision. Impeachment does not impose imprisonment or erase exposure to ordinary criminal law.

"High Crimes and Misdemeanors" is a constitutional standard for serious abuse of public trust, not simply a cross-reference to the criminal code. Policy disagreement alone is not the intended test, and conduct can be impeachable without matching every element of a statutory offense.

Video lesson: Congressional Decisions: Crash Course Government and Politics #10