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May 3, 1469
Niccolo Machiavelli on Impeachment of Officials/Rulers
According to Machiavelli whoever has the power has the right to rule. Even if their power is not legitimate they still can rule. So he would not believe in impeachment because he believed that a ruler must have the power. He believed that a ruler must have power and force to control and impeachment is a loss of control of a ruler. Machiavelli believed that the people needed a ruler and therefore he would be against impeachment of rulers and officials. -
Continental Congress on “impeaching” King George the Third
During the second Continental Congress the thirteen colonies were ready to declare their independence from their king, King George the Third. Their reasoning was that the king no longer was doing things for the good of the people and he was not giving them representation when taxing them( Taxation without representation). They “impeached the king because he no longer was ruling for their good, therefore justified to get rid of British rule and declare independence. -
Constitution on Impeachment
In Article II, section four the Constitution says that the president, vice president or any other civil officers can be impeached or removed from office for the conviction of acts of treason, bribery or other high crimes and offences. Any of these offences are seen as reasons for removal a political official in the Constitution which is the basis of our countries foundation. -
President Andrew Johnson impeached
Andrew Johnson was the first President in American history to be impeached. He was impeached by the House of Representatives by eleven vote’s articles of impeachment and the violation of the Tenure of Office Act. -
The Judicial System on Bill Clinton
The 42nd President, Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998 by the House of Representatives and acquitted by the Senate in 1999. He was impeached on perjury and obstruction of justice to the grand jury. Clinton was the second American President to be impeached and this shows how the law can cause the president to be impeached and how their pardons are limited. Thought trial the House of Representatives was able to prove his criminal indictment with a grand jury. -
Impeachment of Obama
Right now there is a bill in congress to get the president Obama impeached for military offence and declaring war without the approval of Congress. According to Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution: declaring war is the reserved responsibility of Congress Obama’ authorization of military force in Libya breaks that agreement and according to Rep. Walter B. Jones Jr., R-N.C; such an act would be “an impeachable high crime and misdemeanor.”
