Impeachment Process

1
Impeachment Process
2
General Information

• A sitting President may be removed from office
  before his term expires only by impeachment
  process
• This process begins with the House of
  Representatives

3
Sufficient Evidence

• If there is sufficient evidence, the House drafts
  a bill of impeachment, which must be approved by
  the majority of its membership
• Then trial in the Senate follows

4
Trial

• In the trial, the Chief Justice of the U.S. acts
  as the judge and the Senators as the jury

5
History

• Only two American presidents have ever been
  impeached Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton

6
Impeachment of Bill Clinton

• Impeached by the House of Representatives on
  December 19, 1998
• Acquitted by the Senate on February 12, 1999
• The charges were perjury, obstruction of
  justice and abuse of power
• Arose from the Monica Lewinsky scandal

7
Investigation

• Kenneth Starr investigated Clintons conduct
  during the sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a
  former Arkansas government employee Paula Jones
• Starr obtained taped telephone conversation in
  which Lewinsky, a former White House Intern,
  discussed having sex with Clinton
• However, Clinton denied
• Further evidence by seizing computer hard drive
  and e-mail records of Lewinsky
• Starr concluded that Clinton committed perjury

8
The January 1998 Press Conference

• After rumors of the scandal reached the news,
  Clinton publicly stated I did not have sexual
  relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky
• In his deposition he swore I have never had an
  affair with her
• Months later, Clinton admitted that his
  relationship with Lewinsky was wrong and not
  appropriate

9
To Convict or to Acquit

• No Democratic Senators voting for conviction
• Only 5 Democratic Representatives voting to
  impeach
• The Senate acquitted Bill Clinton because it
  failed to reach the two thirds of votes needed to
  convict the President

10
The Response of the Public

• Polls conducted during 1998 and early 1999 showed
  that only one third of Americans supported
  Clintons impeachment or conviction
• Later, when it was clear that House impeachment
  would not lead to ouster of the President, half
  of Americans said that they supported impeachment
  and 42 disapproved of the Senates decision to
  keep him in office

11
Discussion

• And what is your opinion?