Senate Impeachment Trials: A History and Current Summary
The United States Constitution provides that the House of Representatives "shall have the sole Power of Impeachment" ( Article I, section 2 ) and that "the Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachment. But no person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two-thirds of the Members present" ( Article I, section 3 ). The president, vice president, and all civil Officers of the United States are subject to impeachment. The idea of impeachment was originated in England. After that, colonial governments of America and the constitution of the United States adopted it. The power of congress is a major component of the “Checks and balance” constitutional system. Through the process of impeachment, charges of congress and then tries an official of the federal government of United States for Bribery, Misdemeanors, Treason and other high crimes. The constitution of the United States is silent to defi...