M9 Impeachment (1)

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<p>Lesson 9 Assignment</p><p>U.S. History A</p><p>M9 Impeachment</p><p>Introduction: According to the U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section 4: The President, Vice President, and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.</p><p>Throughout U.S. History, 15 federal judges, three Presidents, a cabinet secretary, and a Senator have been impeached. However, they have not all been removed from office.</p><p>Instructions: For this assignment, you will compare the impeachment of Presidents Clinton and Trump. Complete each part of the template using complete sentences.</p><p>Articles of Impeachment:</p><p>· Clinton: https://tinyurl.com/y3jkuey5</p><p>· Trump #1: https://tinyurl.com/6zfp2nxz</p><p>· Trump #2: https://tinyurl.com/4zkpmy3m</p><p>Clinton</p><p>Trump</p><p>(Choose one of the two articles.)</p><p>Charges: What were the presidents charged with?</p><p>Clinton was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice. The perjury charge stemmed from his testimony about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky. The obstruction of justice charge was related to his efforts to conceal the relationship.</p><p>For the first impeachment, Trump was charged with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The abuse of power charge was based on his alleged solicitation of interference from Ukraine in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. The obstruction of Congress charge stemmed from his refusal to cooperate with the impeachment inquiry.</p><p>Similarities: How are these charges similar? (Use specific examples and details.)</p><p>Both presidents were charged with obstruction-related offenses. Clinton's charge of obstruction of justice and Trump's charge of obstruction of Congress both involve efforts to hinder investigations. For example, Clinton attempted to influence witness testimony and hide evidence during the investigation into his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Similarly, Trump directed his administration officials not to comply with subpoenas, refused to provide documents, and instructed key witnesses not to testify during the House impeachment inquiry into his dealings with Ukraine.</p><p>Additionally, both impeachments involved elements of personal misconduct impacting their official duties. Clinton's personal misconduct involved lying under oath about his extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky, which led to his charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. In Trump's case, his alleged solicitation of foreign interference for personal political gain in the 2020 election was at the center of the abuse of power charge, reflecting personal misconduct impacting his official responsibilities.</p><p>Differences: How are these charges different? (Use specific examples and details.)</p><p>The nature of the underlying offenses differs significantly between the two impeachments. Clinton's impeachment centered around his personal misconduct and lying under oath about an extramarital affair. His perjury charge was specifically related to false statements made during a sworn deposition in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case. His obstruction of justice charge was related to his efforts to influence witness testimony and conceal evidence regarding his relationship with Lewinsky.</p><p>In contrast, Trump's first impeachment was primarily about alleged abuse of presidential power and compromising national security. The abuse of power charge involved Trump's alleged attempt to use the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign government in the U.S. electoral process by pressuring Ukrainian President Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden, a potential political rival, while withholding congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine. The obstruction of Congress charge was related to Trump's broad refusal to cooperate with the House impeachment inquiry, directing officials and agencies not to comply with subpoenas and withholding documents.</p><p>Reflection: The U.S. Constitution does not define the phrase ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’.</p><p>In your opinion, what are high crimes and misdemeanors?</p><p>High crimes and misdemeanors, in my opinion, refer to serious breaches of public trust and abuses of power by officials. These include actions that endanger the democratic process, violate the law, or undermine the integrity of the office. They need not be criminal acts but should involve significant misconduct that affects the nation or the governance system.</p><p>Reflection: In your opinion, what types of crime should a president commit in order to be impeached?</p><p>A president should be impeached for crimes that demonstrate a gross abuse of power, corruption, or severe misconduct in office. This includes actions like treason, bribery, obstruction of justice, abuse of power for personal gain, and any other conduct that significantly harms the nation’s interests or the integrity of the office.</p><p>Reflection: Even though the House of Representatives voted to impeach a president, the Senator does not follow the same path.</p><p>In your opinion, why are senators wary about removing a president?</p><p>OR</p><p>Why has the Senate been unsuccessful in removing a president as part of the impeachment process?</p><p>The Senate has been unsuccessful in removing a president because the threshold for conviction – a two-thirds majority – is very high, requiring substantial bipartisan support. In highly partisan environments, achieving this majority is difficult. Senators may also believe that removal should be reserved for the most egregious offenses to avoid setting a precedent for impeaching presidents over less severe issues.</p><p>Page 212 of 236		© 2024 — Curators of the University of Missouri</p><p>Lesson 9	All rights reserved</p><p>image1.jpeg</p><p>image2.png</p>