Unit 7 Part 3 Impeachment Impeachment

Unit 7 Part 3 Impeachment

Impeachment • Besides death, disability or resignation the only way the President leaves the office is impeachment. • Impeachment – gathering evidence and holding a trial to determine guilt of wrong doing. - “They are going through impeachment”; “They went through the impeachment process” THIS DOES NOT MEAN THEY ARE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY!!!!

Impeachment • Article 1, Sections 2 and 3; Article II, Section 4; and Article III, Section 1 - Impeachment in the Constitution o “The President, Vice President and all Civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors. ”

Impeachment • It is similar to a criminal trial: o The House of Representatives brings the formal charges/ accusations against the president. o The Senate Holds the trial and makes the judgment. o To be removed from office, must be convicted by a two-thirds vote of the Senate, which sits as a court, presided over by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. • 16 people have been impeached by the house and seven convicted by Senate.

Impeachment • Only two presidents have been impeached: o Andrew Johnson in 1868 o Bill Clinton in 1998 Resigned before Impeachment process: o Richard Nixon, in 1974, would have surely been impeached had he not resigned.

Presidential Impeachments Andrew Johnson Bill Clinton 1868 1998 Not Guilty Richard Nixon 1974 – Resigned before impeachment could begin

Impeachment of Andrew Johnson • The case against Johnson was entirely political, Radical Republicans wished to punish the South after the Civil War. • They were angry at Johnson, a southerner, who had soft policies toward the South.

Johnson Vote House 126 Conviction 47 Nay Senate 35 Conviction 19 Acquittal Note: At this time it took 36 out of 54 Senate votes to reach the 2/3 majority.

The Impeachment of Bill Clinton • He was charged with perjury (lying under oath), obstruction of justice, and abuse of power. • The vote was passed by the House along Party lines • A majority, but not two-thirds, of the Senate voted to convict. • Why did he survive? o He was likable, economy was strong, nation was at peace, he was a centrist.

Clinton Vote House Judiciary Committee Charge Yes by Party No by Party Perjury 21 Republicans 16 Democrats Obstruction of Justice 21 Republicans 16 Democrats Article II 20 Republicans 17 Democrats ; Republican Article IV 21 Republicans 16 Democrats 1

Clinton Vote House of Representatives Charge and Vote Yes by Party Not Voting Perjury 228 -206 223 Rep; 5 Dem 5 Rep; 200 Dems; 1 Ind 1 Dem Obstruction of Justice 221 -212 216 Rep; 5 Dem 12 Rep; 199 Dem; 1 Ind 2 Dem Article II 205 -229 200 Rep; 5 Dem 28 Rep; 200 Dem; 1 Ind 1 Dem Article IV 148 -285 147 Rep; 1 Dem 81 Rep; 203 Dem; 1 Ind 2 Dem

Clinton Vote Senate Charge and Vote Yes by Party No by Party Perjury 45 -55 45 Rep 45 Dem; 10 Rep Obstruction of Justice 50 50 Rep -50 45 Dem; 5 Rep

Richard M. Nixon 37 th President of the United States Republican Watergate and Tapes Executive privilege and US vs. Nixon Impeachment Only House Judiciary 3 Articles Obstruction of Justice Abuse of Power Defiance of Subpoenas Resignation

Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton