What is Federal Impeachment?

Impeachment is a process by which a federal official faces charges of wrongdoing that could lead to their removal from office. In the United States’ early years, this rule applied to any federal officer, but for over two centuries, the process has come to focus strictly upon members of the executive and judicial branches.

According to the impeachment process, the House of Representatives draws up charges – known as “articles of impeachment” – against the accused. If a simple majority of the members of the House agree that the official in question is guilty of one or more of the articles, the individual has been impeached. However, there is another step: removal. Here, the case moves to the Senate, where each side presents their case. If the accused is the President of the United States, the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court presides over the hearing. Otherwise, it is the Senate’s presiding officer, who can be the Vice President or the President Pro Tempore. If two-thirds of the Senate agree that the accused is guilty of at least one of the articles, then that individual is removed from office.

It is important to note that even if removed from office, the official in question is not prohibited from seeking a federal post. However, if the Senate believes that that person should be disqualified from ever serving in the federal government, it can hold another hearing to do that. If the Senate takes that step, only a simple majority is necessary to bar the official in question from holding a federal post.