Question

. The U.S. Constitution has little to say about reasons for impeachment and removal from office: "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors," including bribery, intimidation, refusal to obey a lawful order, dereliction of duty, perjury, abuse of authority, failure to supervise, conduct unbecoming, and misuse of assets. Which of the following would be grounds for presidential impeachment? (A) vetoing legislation that Congress wishes to pass (B) proposing universal healthcare coverage for the millions of uninsured Americans (C) committing perjury (lying under oath) (D) signing a law that prevents Wall Street banks from cheating their customers

Short answer

The correct answer is option (C) committing perjury (lying under oath), as it matches one of the reasons for impeachment stated in the U.S. Constitution.

Step-by-step solution

Identify reasons for impeachment

According to the U.S. Constitution, the reasons for impeachment and removal from office include: treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors such as bribery, intimidation, refusal to obey a lawful order, dereliction of duty, perjury, abuse of authority, failure to supervise, conduct unbecoming, and misuse of assets.

Analyze Option (A)

Vetoing legislation that Congress wishes to pass is part of a president's duties within the system of checks and balances. This action does not match any of the reasons for impeachment listed in the U.S. Constitution.

Analyze Option (B)

Proposing universal healthcare coverage for millions of uninsured Americans is a policy proposal. This action does not match any of the reasons for impeachment listed in the U.S. Constitution.

Analyze Option (C)

Committing perjury (lying under oath) is listed as one of the reasons for impeachment in the U.S. Constitution. This means that option (C) could potentially be grounds for presidential impeachment.

Analyze Option (D)

Signing a law that prevents Wall Street banks from cheating their customers is an action that involves implementing legislation. This action does not match any of the reasons for impeachment listed in the U.S. Constitution.

Identify the correct option

Based on the analysis above, option (C) committing perjury (lying under oath) matches one of the reasons for impeachment stated in the U.S. Constitution. Therefore, the correct answer is option (C).

Key concepts

U.S. Constitution

The U.S. Constitution is the foundational document of the United States government. It outlines the system of government and the powers assigned to each branch. When it comes to impeachment, the Constitution provides a framework under which a sitting president can be removed from office. This process is described in Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution.

The Constitution states that the president, vice president, and all civil officers can be impeached for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." This clause is deliberately vague, allowing Congress broad discretion in determining what constitutes an impeachable offense. While the specific actions may vary, the spirit of the clause is that those in power should act in manners fitting of their office, maintaining integrity and honesty.

Removal from Office

Removal from office through impeachment is a serious constitutional process. It involves both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Firstly, the House of Representatives holds the power to impeach a president by a simple majority vote. Impeachment is essentially an indictment or formal accusation that the president has committed an impeachable offense.

If the House votes to impeach, the process moves to the Senate. Here, a trial is conducted with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presiding if it involves a sitting president. For the president to be removed from office, a two-thirds majority of senators must vote to convict. This high threshold ensures that impeachment is not used lightly or as a political weapon.

Presidential Duties

A president has numerous duties as the head of the executive branch. These responsibilities are to ensure the government's smooth functioning and the protection and well-being of its citizens.

Some key presidential duties include:

• Enforcing laws passed by Congress
• Acting as commander-in-chief of the armed forces
• Conducting diplomacy and managing relations with other countries
• Appointing federal officers and judges, subject to Senate approval
• Issuing executive orders to direct government operations

These duties provide the president with substantial powers. However, with great power comes great responsibility, and the president must act within the law to avoid misconduct.

High Crimes and Misdemeanors

"High crimes and misdemeanors" is a phrase that includes serious breaches of trust or abuses of power. It does not necessarily imply criminal conduct under ordinary law but reflects an abuse of power or failure to uphold office standards.

The types of actions considered under this term include:

• Treason: Betraying one's country typically by aiding enemies
• Bribery: Accepting money or gifts in exchange for political favors
• Perjury: Lying under oath, as highlighted as grounds for impeachment in the original exercise
• Obstruction of justice:
• Conduct unbecoming or violation of public trust

Due to the subjectivity of "high crimes and misdemeanors," much is left to the interpretation of Congress, led by political pressures and societal norms of the time.