The Impeachment Process: 3 Facts You Need to Know

As Deliberate Thinkers, we need to take 1 Minute and Motivate ourselves to learn about the impeachment process and what constitutes impeachment.

I wish I could ignore the news right now, but I can’t. We all have a social responsibility to remain informed to the best of our ability. I took a LONG break from watching, reading, or listening to anything having to do with politics because it was starting to affect my mental health, but the break has to end now.

Part of what motivated me to form this organization to begin with was my complete disgust with the propaganda machines our elected officials have become, fueled by the media and the so-called “news” we are fed. (On that note, you might find value in reading these posts, Are You Tired of Divisive Political Messages? What You Can Do to Protest Dehumanization.)

So I know that I have to start paying attention again, and I’ve decided to dedicate some of my 1 Minute Motivations to the impeachment process as it relates to Donald Trump.

Let’s start by discussing 3 facts that we all need to know about the impeachment process and what constitutes impeachment:

1. The House of Representatives has the sole power to propose articles of impeachment, vote on them, and send them to the Senate who has the sole power to try all impeachments. This is why we’re seeing Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, as the face of the investigation at this point.
2. According to Encyclopedia.com, articles of impeachment are: “Formal written allegations of the causes that warrant the criminal trial of a public official before a quasi-political court.” and “. . . are analogous to an indictment that initiates criminal prosecutions of private persons.”
3. The Constitution defines acts that warrant impeachment as “treason, bribery, and other high crimes and misdemeanors.” It further defines treason: “Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.” The Constitution does not define bribery, but it is commonly known as an act in which, “a person gives an official money or gifts to influence the official’s behavior in office.” High crimes and misdemeanors is more difficult to define, but it generally means that the official has somehow abused the power of his office and has been found to be unfit to serve.

Keep scrolling for concluding thoughts