Question on supreme court and impeachment

[Richard D]

As the curtain is pulled back on the BFEE, impeachment could become a real possibility. If Impeachment is approved by congress, could it be challenged in the Supreme Court? If so, the reason for nomination of Reid by * becomes clearer. Maybe * is shaking in his phony cowboy boots.

[CBGLuthier]

1. I don't think so

But lets not get our hopes up. Remember it takes the house to bring the articles of impeachment. We have a lot of work in 2006 to retake the house to make that happen.

Here is a faq about the process

http://www.abanet.org/publiced/impeach2.html

[AllegroRondo]

4. Only the Senate can vote to impeach

if they do, theres not much the Supreme Court can do about it.

[CBGLuthier]

7. Actually

The house votes to impeach. Then the senate holds the trial.

[AllegroRondo]

8. Correct - its a two part process

the point is, the Supreme Court really has no say in it.

[rurallib]

5. Maybe not the impeachment itself, but there may be a myriad

of questions concerning documents, who may testify and who knows what else these guys could conjur up to stall the process. Remember some of the manuevers Nixon tried and that some of these were sent to the SCOTUS.

[SlipperySlope]

2. BFEE?

BFEE = ?

[Richard D]

3. b*sh Family Evil Empire.

[unblock]

6. there is no precedent of provision for appeal to the supreme court

impeachment is a power held by the house of representatives, trial and removal is a power held by the senate, with the chief justice of the supreme court presiding over the trial.

especially given the involvement of the chief justice, i would find it very difficult for the supreme court to step in and reverse an impeachment and removal.

however, the constitution does spell out explicit voting margins for impeachment and removal; and further, lists specific things people can be impeached for. it is, at least theoretically possible that the house could impeach based with an insufficient vote margin; or, for something that wasn't a "high crime" or "misdemeanor" and the impeached officeholder could appeal to the supreme court.