what does it take to impeach an attorney general?

by Mr. Alvah Pacocha 5 min read

Can Congress impeach the Attorney General?

Yes, in theory, the Attorney General (like any other Cabinet official) could be impeached. The first impeachment of a Cabinet official occurred in 1876, when Secretary of War William W. Belknap was accused of graft and corruption. It’s exceedingly unlikely that the Senate would convict and remove the Attorney General from office, however.

Can You impeach an Attorney General of the United States?

No, I cannot Impeach the Attorney General of the United States. However, the House of Representatives can, as they have the sole power of impeachment. Only one Cabinet Secretary has ever been impeached, Secretary of War William W. Belknap, who resigned and was later acquitted by the Senate.

Can a person be impeached and still remain in office?

If legal precedent holds, a president can be impeached and still run for public office in the future.

Can the Attorney General be disbarred?

There are a couple of points you may not be thinking of. First, although the title of the office is attorney general, there is no legal or constitutional requirement that the attorney general be a licensed attorney, or to even have any legal training. Thus, disbarment is not equivalent to removal from office.

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What is the process of impeachment?

Impeachment is the constitutional process by which the United States Congress has the authority to remove civil officers of the United States from office. The process to impeach and remove an individual from office involves two stages: first, articles of impeachment are passed by a majority vote of the United States House of Representatives, ...

Who presents the first argument in an impeachment trial?

At the beginning of the trial, House managers and respondent's counsel present opening arguments regarding the impeachment charges. The House managers, as the prosecution in the trial, present the first argument.

How many votes are needed to convict an impeached person?

To convict on an article of impeachment, a two-thirds vote of senators present to vote is required. If the respondent is convicted on one or more of the articles, the presiding officer will pronounce the judgment of conviction and removal.

Why do impeachment grounds not fit neatly and logically into categories?

Congressional materials have cautioned that the grounds for impeachment 'do not all fit neatly and logically into categories' because the remedy of impeachment is intended to “reach a broad variety of conduct by officers that is both serious and incompatible with the duties of the office.' .

How many federal judges have been impeached?

Federal judges that have been impeached. The following is a list of the 15 federal judges that have been impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives and the final action taken on articles of impeachment in the U.S. Senate. Judge. Court.

How many presidents have been impeached?

Though the Constitution does not define who constitutes a civil officer, Congress has exercised its power to impeach three presidents, one senator, one cabinet official, and 15 federal judges; of these, only eight individuals—all federal judges—were convicted on the charges of impeachment and removed from office.

What happens when the Judiciary Committee determines grounds for impeachment?

If a majority of the committee determines grounds exist, a resolution both impeaching the individual as well as presenting the specific allegations, known as articles of impeachment, will be reported to the full U.S. House of Representatives.

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What's The Role of The U.S. House?

  • The powers of impeachment designated to the United States Congress are enumerated in the United States Constitution. Article I, Section 2 stipulates that the United States House of Representativeshas the sole power of impeachment.
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What's The Role of The U.S. Senate?

  • Article I, Section 3 says that the United States Senatehas the sole power to try all impeachments. Further, the Constitution requires that all senators who will vote on impeachment must do so on oath or affirmation and that no person can be convicted on impeachment charges unless two-thirds of the senators present to vote agree to convict. Upon receiving a resolution from the Hou…
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What Does The Constitution Say About Impeachment?

  • Grounds for impeachment
    Article II, Section 4 of the United States Constitutionstipulates that the president, vice president, and all civil officers of the United States can be impeached and removed from office on three charges: 1. 1.1. Bribery 1.2. Treason 1.3. Other high crimes and misdemeanors Treason is defin…
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Who Is Eligible to Be Impeached?

  • The Constitution expressly provides that the president and vice president of the United States may be impeached. The Constitution further provides that all civil officers of the United States may be impeached. "In the past, Congress has ... shown a willingness to impeach ... federal judges and Cabinet-level executive branch officials, but a reluctance to impeach private individuals and Me…
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What About Impeaching Members of Congress?

  • U.S. Sen. William Blount of Tennessee was the first individual ever impeached by the United States House of Representatives and, to this day, is the only member of Congress ever to have been impeached. The House impeached Blount on July 7, 1797, for allegedly conspiring to incite Native Americans and frontiersmen to attack the Spanish lands of Florida and Louisiana in orde…
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Have Any Federal Judges Been Impeached?

  • The table below presents a list of federal judges who have been impeached in the U.S. House. Of the 15 federal judges that have been impeached, eight have been convicted and removed from office by the U.S. Senate.
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