Legal Definitions - Articles of Impeachment

Articles of Impeachment are the formal, written accusations drafted by a legislative body against a public official, detailing the specific alleged misconduct or crimes that could lead to their removal from office. These articles serve as the official charges in an impeachment proceeding, similar to how an indictment outlines charges in a criminal court case. They must clearly state the offenses so the accused official can prepare a defense.

Here are some examples illustrating how Articles of Impeachment apply:

• Imagine a situation where a federal judge is accused of consistently accepting expensive gifts from lawyers whose cases they preside over, leading to biased rulings. After an investigation, the House of Representatives might draft Articles of Impeachment. These articles would specifically list each instance of accepting gifts, the dates, and how these actions constituted an abuse of judicial power and a violation of their oath. These formal charges would then be sent to the Senate for a trial to determine if the judge should be removed.

• Consider a state governor who is alleged to have used state emergency relief funds to renovate their private vacation home and then attempted to cover up the misuse by falsifying financial records. The state's legislative body (e.g., the State Assembly or House of Representatives) could vote to approve Articles of Impeachment. These articles would precisely detail the alleged misappropriation of funds, the specific amounts, and the acts of obstruction, forming the basis for a trial in the state's upper legislative chamber to decide on the governor's removal.

• Suppose a Cabinet Secretary is accused of repeatedly lying under oath to a congressional committee about their involvement in a scheme to award lucrative government contracts to a company owned by their family members. The House of Representatives could then pass Articles of Impeachment. These articles would enumerate the specific instances of perjury and the conflicts of interest, providing the formal charges that would initiate a trial in the Senate to determine if the Secretary should be removed from their position.