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Donald Trump’s impeachment bid crushed in House of Representatives

5 min read
donald trump impeachment

Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives on December 18, 2019, on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The impeachment arose from a controversy surrounding Trump’s efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. The House voted to impeach Trump on the charge of abuse of power by a vote of 230-197 and on the charge of obstruction of Congress by a vote of 229-198.

Trump’s impeachment trial took place in the U.S. Senate in early 2020. On February 5, 2020, the Senate voted on whether to remove Trump from office on the charge of abuse of power. The vote fell short of the two-thirds majority required for conviction, with 52 senators voting to acquit and 48 voting to convict. On February 13, 2020, the Senate voted on the charge of obstruction of Congress, with 53 senators voting to acquit and 47 voting to convict.

Voting

Trump was the third President in U.S. history to be impeached, after Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. He was the first President to be impeached twice.

“This should never be permitted to happen to another President of the United States again!” he tweeted.

Who are the congresswomen known as ‘the squad’?

Congress women

The Congresswomen known as “the Squad” are a group of four Democratic Representatives in the United States House of Representatives: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts. They are known for their progressive views and for advocating for social and political issues such as income inequality, climate change, and healthcare reform. The Squad has gained significant media attention and has become a prominent voice in the Democratic Party.

Why attempt to impeach Trump now?

Donal Trump impeachment

Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress on December 18, 2019. The impeachment process was initiated by the House of Representatives in response to allegations that Trump had abused his power as President by withholding military aid to Ukraine in exchange for investigations into his political rivals, and that he had obstructed Congress by refusing to cooperate with the House’s impeachment inquiry. Trump was ultimately acquitted by the Senate on both charges on February 5, 2020.

The impeachment process is a constitutional mechanism for holding a sitting President accountable for misconduct in office. It is a serious step that is only taken in rare and exceptional circumstances when there is clear evidence of wrongdoing by the President that warrants his or her removal from office. The decision to impeach Trump was made by the House of Representatives, which has the sole power to impeach a President under the Constitution. The Senate then conducted a trial to determine whether to convict and remove Trump from office.

It is important to note that the impeachment process is a political rather than a criminal proceeding. It is not intended to result in a criminal conviction, but rather to determine whether the President has engaged in misconduct that warrants his or her removal from office.

Why did it fail?

House of representatives

Impeachment is a process set forth in the United States Constitution that allows Congress to hold public officials accountable for their actions while in office. It is not a criminal trial, but rather a way for Congress to investigate whether an individual’s actions while in office meet the standards for “high crimes and misdemeanors,” which is grounds for removal from office.

There have been several instances of impeachment proceedings in the United States, including the impeachment of President Donald Trump in 2019 and 2020. In both cases, the impeachment failed to result in the removal of the president from office.

In the case of President Trump, the House of Representatives voted to impeach him on two articles: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. However, the Senate voted to acquit him on both charges, with the vote falling largely along party lines.

There are a variety of reasons why impeachment proceedings may fail. In the case of President Trump, the Senate was controlled by the president’s own party, and many Senators may have felt politically obligated to vote against removal. Additionally, the specific charges brought against the president may not have been seen as strong enough to justify removal, or there may have been insufficient evidence to support the charges.

It’s worth noting that the purpose of impeachment is not necessarily to remove the official from office, but rather to hold them accountable for their actions and to provide a check on their power. Even if an impeachment proceeding does not result in removal, it can still serve as a means of highlighting and addressing any wrongdoing by a public official.

Trump: How could he be impeached?

house representatives budget
Image Source: The Hill

The House of Representatives, which has the sole power of impeachment under the U.S. Constitution, voted to impeach Trump on two articles of impeachment: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The vote was largely along party lines, with the Democrats in favor of impeachment and the Republicans opposed.

After the House voted to impeach Trump, the matter was referred to the U.S. Senate for a trial. On February 5, 2020, the Senate voted to acquit Trump on both charges, with the Republicans voting to acquit and the Democrats voting to convict. As a result, Trump was not removed from office.

What is impeachment anyway?

Impeachment

Impeachment is a process in which a public official, such as a president or judge, is accused of misconduct in office. It is a way for a country’s legislative branch to hold the executive branch accountable for its actions.

The process of impeachment begins when a member of the legislature, typically the House of Representatives in the United States, brings formal charges against the official. The charges are known as articles of impeachment.

If the House votes to impeach the official, the case is then sent to the Senate for trial. The Senate determines whether the official is guilty of the charges and, if they are found guilty, may vote to remove the official from office.

Impeachment is a serious matter and is not to be used lightly. It is reserved for cases in which an official has engaged in serious misconduct, such as abuse of power, corruption, or other crimes. It is meant to be a check on the power of the executive branch and to ensure that public officials are held accountable for their actions.