Reply #3: IMPEACHMENT PROCEDURES [View All]

IMPEACHMENT PROCEDURES
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/impeachment/guide.html

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Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution of the United States grants the House of Representatives the "the sole power of impeachment."

... established House practice is to begin with a resolution authorizing the Judiciary Committee to investigate the charges brought forth.

The House Judiciary Committee then holds hearings and investigates the charges.

If the Judiciary Committee's findings support the charges, it issues an impeachment resolution, which include Articles of Impeachment, to the full House. If the committee believes impeachment is unwarranted, it issues such a resolution to the full House.

The resolution then goes to House floor for consideration. If the House adopts any one of the Articles of Impeachment by a simple majority vote, the official is considered impeached and the matter goes to the Senate for trial.

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Article I, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution states: "The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments."

A fixed number of House members act as "managers", or prosecutors, at the Senate trial. ....

The impeached official's lawyers will present his/her defense. He/she has the right to testify and cross-examine witnesses, as in any criminal proceeding.

The full Senate will act as the jury.

If the trial involves the President of the United States, the Constitution states that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall preside over the trial.

At the trial's conclusion, the Senate meets in a closed session to discuss a verdict. Each Senator is allowed 15 minutes of debate.

The Senate then votes in open session on each Article of Impeachment. A two-thirds vote is required for conviction. ....