HOW CAN PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP BE IMPEACHED?
Interest in the impeachment process has surged since the inauguration of Donald Trump. In fact, a few lawmakers have already called for Trump to be impeached.
And while impeachment is rare and difficult to acheive, this is how it would work.
How does impeachment work?
The legal ability to impeach a president comes from the U.S. Constitution, specifically Article 11 Section 4.
“The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”
The Constitution gives the power of impeachment to Congress.
Step 1: Impeachment
The House of Representatives will vote on one or more articles of impeachment, and if at least one of these passes on a majority vote, the president is impeached. However, the president is not yet removed from office. The process then moves to the Senate.
Step 2: Senate Trial
Once the House of Representatives has voted to impeach the president, the Senate will hold a trial. And the chief justice of the Supreme Court will preside over the trial.
A group from the House will conduct the prosecution of the trial and the president will bring in defense lawyers.
If at least two-thirds of senators find the president guilty, the president is removed from office. And the vice president takes over.
[image via screengrab]
