HOW CAN THE PRESIDENT BE IMPEACHED FOR HIENOUS ACTIONS

Impeachment is a constitutional process, not a criminal trial. It’s how Congress can accuse and potentially remove a president for serious wrongdoing.

1. What actions qualify?

The Constitution says a president can be impeached for:

Treason
Bribery
“High crimes and misdemeanors”

That last phrase does not mean regular crimes only. It includes:

Abuse of power
Serious corruption
Violating the Constitution
Using the office to harm the country or democracy

2. Who starts impeachment?

The House of Representatives
Any House member can introduce articles of impeachment (formal charges)

If a simple majority of the House votes yes:
The president is impeached (formally accused)

3. What happens after impeachment?

The case moves to the Senate
The Senate holds a trial
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides

To remove the president:

2/3 of the Senate must vote guilty

4. What are the possible outcomes?

President is removed from office
Senate may also vote to ban them from holding future office
Or the president is acquitted and stays in office

Important thing to remember ?

Impeachment ≠ removal
Impeachment = formal accusation
Removal only happens if the Senate convicts

Who has the power to impeach the president — the House or the Senate?

The House of Representatives has the power to impeach the president.

To reinforce it:

House → impeaches (brings the charges)
Senate → holds the trial and decides whether to remove

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE SUPREME COURT

Role of the Supreme Court in Impeachment

The Supreme Court as a whole does NOT decide impeachment.

**What it does do:**

When a president is impeached and tried in the Senate:
- The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the Senate trial

What that means:

The Chief Justice:
- Acts like a neutral referee
- Oversees procedure and order
The Chief Justice does NOT:
- Vote on guilt or innocence
- Decide the outcome

Only Senators vote, and it takes 2/3 of the Senate to remove the president.

Why involve the Chief Justice?

To avoid a conflict of interest:

If the Vice President (normally Senate president) ran the trial,
They would benefit from the president’s removal

So the Chief Justice steps in instead ⚖️

Does the Supreme Court vote to remove the president

The Supreme Court does not vote to remove the president.

Quick recap to lock it in:

House → impeaches
Senate → tries the case and votes on removal
Chief Justice (Supreme Court) → presides, but does not vote

Can the Supreme Court Bring Charges Against the President?

No. The Supreme Court cannot bring charges against the president.

Here’s why:

The Supreme Court is part of the judicial branch
Bringing charges (impeachment) is a legislative power
The Constitution gives that power only to Congress

**Who can bring charges?**

House of Representatives
- They bring articles of impeachment (the charges)

**What can the Supreme Court do?**

The Chief Justice presides over the Senate trial
Courts may later handle criminal cases after a president leaves office

Simple memory trick ?

H.I.T.

House impeaches
I (Chief Justice) presides
Two-thirds Senate removes

Process where a president is impeached but not removed

1) Impeachment Without Removal

Step 1: House of Representatives votes to impeach
- Requires a simple majority (more than half of members)
- This is like an official charge or accusation of “high crimes and misdemeanors”
Step 2: Senate trial
- If the Senate does NOT vote to convict (does not reach 2/3 majority), the president remains in office
Effect:
- The president is officially impeached
- But they are not removed from office
- They can continue serving their term

Examples in U.S. History

President	Impeached?	Removed?	Notes
Andrew Johnson (1868)	Yes	No	Senate failed to convict by 1 vote
Bill Clinton (1998)	Yes	No	Senate voted not guilty on charges
Donald Trump (2019, 2021)	Yes (twice)	No	Senate did not reach 2/3 majority either time

Key Takeaway

Impeachment ≠ removal
Removal only happens if the Senate convicts with a 2/3 vote
So “impeach & remove NOT” = president is accused but stays in office

Process where a president is both impeached and actually removed from office.

1. Impeach AND Remove

This is the full process:

Step 1: House of Representatives Votes to Impeach

The House investigates and decides if there are grounds for “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Requires a simple majority vote (over 50%).
Result: The president is formally impeached.

Step 2: Senate Holds a Trial

The Senate acts as a court.
Senators hear evidence and arguments.
To convict and remove the president, a 2/3 majority (67 out of 100 senators) is required.

Step 3: Removal from Office

If the Senate convicts, the president is immediately removed from office.
The Vice President becomes President for the remainder of the term.

Key Difference from “Impeach Only”

Step	House	Senate	Result
Impeach & Remove	Majority vote to impeach	2/3 vote to convict	President leaves office, VP takes over
Impeach Only	Majority vote to impeach	Less than 2/3 vote	President stays in office

Example

Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump: Impeached but not removed
No U.S. president has ever been impeached AND removed through this process — it’s rare and requires a very large Senate majority.

HOW CAN THE CITIZENS HELP IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT

Citizens cannot directly impeach the president themselves — that power is reserved for Congress — but they can influence the process. Here’s how:

1. Contact Your Representatives

The House of Representatives is the body that can officially introduce and vote on articles of impeachment.
Citizens can call, email, or write letters to their Representative to express support or concern about impeachment.
The more constituents voice their opinions, the more pressure on Representatives to act.

2. Petitions and Public Advocacy

Citizens can sign petitions, join advocacy groups, or organize campaigns that demand accountability.
While petitions don’t carry legal weight, they signal widespread public concern.

3. Engage in Public Discourse

Attend town halls or public meetings.
Share well-informed opinions on media and social platforms.
Encourage dialogue about potential misconduct or abuse of power.

4. Stay Informed

Know the facts: impeachment is a political process, not a criminal trial.
Track updates from reliable news sources and official congressional websites.

Key Reminder:

Only the House can impeach, and only the Senate can remove a president.
Citizens influence the process indirectly through pressure, advocacy, and voting.

Step-by-Step Citizen Action Guide During an Impeachment Process

Step 1: Know the Process

Impeachment starts in the House of Representatives. They investigate and can vote to impeach.
The Senate holds the trial and votes to remove the president if 2/3 agree.
Understanding this helps you target the right people and actions.

Step 2: Contact Your Representative

Find your Representative here: house.gov/find-your-representative
Methods:
- Call the office in DC or local district.
- Email through their official website.
- Send a physical letter.
Tip: Be polite, concise, and factual. State your opinion clearly and reference specific concerns.

Step 3: Contact Your Senators

Senators vote on removal if impeachment occurs, so your voice matters there too.
Find them here: senate.gov/senators/contact
Call, email, or use online forms to express your views.

Step 4: Sign or Create Petitions

Petitions can show broad public concern.
Use platforms like Change.org or create local petitions to raise awareness.
Make sure petitions are fact-based and respectful.

Step 5: Engage in Public Advocacy

Attend town halls, school forums, or community meetings.
Write op-eds or letters to local newspapers.
Use social media responsibly to share credible information, not rumors.

Step 6: Stay Informed

Follow official sources:
Avoid unverified news; fact-based arguments carry more weight.

Step 7: Vote

Elections are the ultimate tool to influence Congress.
Vote for representatives and senators who align with your views on accountability and government ethics.

Key Tips

Always remain civil and factual—your message is stronger if it’s respectful.
Focus on policy, misconduct, or abuse of power, not personal attacks.
Encourage others to educate themselves and engage in the democratic process.

A LIST OF CONTACTS FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATORS IN EACH STATE

1. Official U.S. Senate Contact List

Every U.S. Senator’s name and official contact page (with phone and web contact forms) is listed by state on the U.S. Senate’s official site:
https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact.htm
You can click each state to see the two senators for that state with their official sites — mail forms, phone numbers, and DC office address. (U.S. Senate)

2. Official U.S. House Directory

There are 435 U.S. Representatives (plus non voting delegates). The House’s official site offers tools to find members by ZIP or name:
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
You enter a ZIP code to find your specific member, and each profile shows their contact page. (House of Representatives)

3. Congress.gov Member Directory (All Members)

Congress.gov lets you browse all current members (House + Senate) with links to their official contact info:
https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
This supports state filters so you can list members by state in alphabetical order. (Congress.gov)

4. Third Party List With Phones & Offices

For a compiled table you can browse or export (with names, party, state, DC phone, office addresses, and websites), try:
? https://congresscalllist.com/
This includes all 100 senators and 435 representatives and lets you filter by state and office type. (congresscalllist.com)