What is impeachment?
Impeachment just means getting charged with a crime or being indicted in criminal court. It is a significant action. After all, a president can’t get impeached for any crime, it must be for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors”.
How does a president get impeached?
If a simple majority of the House of Representatives votes to indict the president, then the president gets impeached. This does not mean that the president is removed from office, and if the House votes to impeach a president, they would go the Senate, where the Senate would vote to remove him/her.
How does a president get removed from office?
After impeachment, the president goes to Senate, where there is a trial. If 2/3 of the Senate votes to convict the president, he would be removed from office. The chief justice of the Supreme Court presides over the hearing. There are prosecutors, defendants, and testimonies. It is essentially a normal trial.
Presidential Impeachments
Andrew Johnson
He violated the Tenure of Office Act, which said the president couldn't fire certain executive employees without Senate's approval, by firing Edwin Stanton, the Secretary of War. He was one vote away from being removed from office, with Edmund Ross, a Senator from Kansas, voting to keep him in office.
Bill Clinton
After the Monica Lewinsky Scandal, he was impeached on two charges- one of perjury, and one of obstruction of justice. The Senate didn't get enough votes to convict him.
Donald Trump
On December 18th, 2019, Donald Trump was impeached on two charges- one of abuse of power, and one of obstruction of justice. They haven’t had the Senate vote yet, but he is not expected to be removed from office.
Honorable Mention: Richard Nixon
After the Watergate Scandal, Richard Nixon’s political career was over. He lost virtually all of his political and public support. So, on August 9th, 1974, Nixon submitted a letter of resignation. If he had not done this, he most likely would have been impeached and removed.