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shraby

(21,946 posts)
Sun Jun 3, 2018, 10:21 AM Jun 2018

Possible remedy for the predicament we are in with the republican congress:

If "civil Officers" refers to the leaders of the
GOP in congress, McConnell and Ryan as well as others
who have stuffed their pockets and are vociferous in
support of Trump's actions, here is the remedy for that.
One question, who is there to impeach the leaders of the
Republicans in congress? Far as I can see, it doesn't say.

Article II Section 4 of the Constitution reads:

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.

17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Possible remedy for the predicament we are in with the republican congress: (Original Post) shraby Jun 2018 OP
Congress can impeach any member manor321 Jun 2018 #1
Time pass due. Iliyah Jun 2018 #2
The remedy is voting Orangepeel Jun 2018 #3
Assuming we still have election integrity. Golden Raisin Jun 2018 #7
BINGO. And voting in SUCH LARGE NUMBERS for Democrats that gerrymandering CousinIT Jun 2018 #12
Huh? tritsofme Jun 2018 #4
That's why I asked what does mean by "Civil officers of the United States." shraby Jun 2018 #6
Not to beat a dead horse tritsofme Jun 2018 #8
GOTV. Kick their asses to the curb dalton99a Jun 2018 #5
If there is a way duforsure Jun 2018 #9
"Civil officers" do not include members of Congress. The Velveteen Ocelot Jun 2018 #10
Thank you. shraby Jun 2018 #15
I wish it applied, but DownriverDem Jun 2018 #11
Thank you. I didn't know where to look. shraby Jun 2018 #16
Bribery would include all ... aggiesal Jun 2018 #13
Members of Congress can be charged, arrested and put in jail ashredux Jun 2018 #14
Not necessarily. They could be immune from prosecution The Velveteen Ocelot Jun 2018 #17
 

manor321

(3,344 posts)
1. Congress can impeach any member
Sun Jun 3, 2018, 10:23 AM
Jun 2018

But only Congress can. The Executive and Judicial branches can't remove them from office.

EDIT: It is "expulsion" in this case:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expulsion_from_the_United_States_Congress

Iliyah

(25,111 posts)
2. Time pass due.
Sun Jun 3, 2018, 10:23 AM
Jun 2018

t-rump shrive for total control of the USA and the majority of congress is helping him along with Russia. If they had any, tiny love for their country they could stop it.

Golden Raisin

(4,609 posts)
7. Assuming we still have election integrity.
Sun Jun 3, 2018, 10:49 AM
Jun 2018

What occurred in 2016 was not exactly encouraging, nor is the seeming lack of a concerted, organized plan to prevent any election manipulation for 2018.

CousinIT

(9,245 posts)
12. BINGO. And voting in SUCH LARGE NUMBERS for Democrats that gerrymandering
Sun Jun 3, 2018, 12:08 PM
Jun 2018

& voter suppression are rendered impotent against us and we take at least the House if not the Senate -- THEN (and ONLY then) will there be oversight of this Trump sociopath.

tritsofme

(17,379 posts)
4. Huh?
Sun Jun 3, 2018, 10:28 AM
Jun 2018

Bizarre OP. You can’t impeach members of Congress...And even if you could....how would it be a good idea...when you still need a 2/3 vote for conviction in the Senate? There is a process for expulsion in each house, where a member can be removed by a 2/3 vote, but again...why do you think such a vote is winnable...in the Congress led by Republicans?

You know...we have these things every two years called elections...that’s how these things get resolved.

tritsofme

(17,379 posts)
8. Not to beat a dead horse
Sun Jun 3, 2018, 10:53 AM
Jun 2018

But that’s not really the pertinent question...it is more I guess why you think a process requiring action from 2/3 of a chamber of Congress, that is led by Republicans, could result in the ouster of their leadership?

duforsure

(11,885 posts)
9. If there is a way
Sun Jun 3, 2018, 11:36 AM
Jun 2018

To undermine Congress by trump , and make them powerless, he will have someone who'll find a way to completely bypass their powers to do anything. That's how he'll get his absolute powers. He already has their confidence, and soon they'll regret aligning with him. Con men are very good at doing this to others .

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,714 posts)
10. "Civil officers" do not include members of Congress.
Sun Jun 3, 2018, 11:42 AM
Jun 2018

Long ago that term was determined to refer to members of the executive branch and judges.

DownriverDem

(6,228 posts)
11. I wish it applied, but
Sun Jun 3, 2018, 12:04 PM
Jun 2018

CIVIL OFFICER. The constitution of the United States, art. 2, s. 4, provides, that the president, vice-president, and 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. By this term are included all officers of the United States who hold their appointments under the national government, whether their duties are executive or judicial, in the highest or the lowest departments; of the government, with the exception of officers of the army and navy.

Rawle on the Const. 213; 2 Story, Const. Sec. 790; a senator of the United States, it was decided, was not a civil officer, within the meaning of this clause in the constitution. Senate Journals, 10th January, 1799; 4 Tuck. Bl. Com. Appx. 57, 58; Rawle, Const. 213; Serg. on Const. Law, 376; Story, Const. Sec. 791.

A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States. By John Bouvier. Published 1856.

aggiesal

(8,915 posts)
13. Bribery would include all ...
Sun Jun 3, 2018, 12:55 PM
Jun 2018

Democratic Senators and Representatives that took money from lobbyists,
then voted to benefit the interests of those the lobbyists represented.

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,714 posts)
17. Not necessarily. They could be immune from prosecution
Sun Jun 3, 2018, 08:05 PM
Jun 2018

in accordance with the Speech or Debate Clause in the Constitution (Article I, Section 6, Clause 1). The clause states that members of both houses of Congress "...shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their attendance at the Session of their Respective Houses, and in going to and from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place." What this means is so long as legislators are participating in legitimate legislative activity, they are immune from civil litigation or criminal prosecution, as well as from the burden of having to defend themselves. However, the acts must be an integral part of the processes by which congress members participate in proceedings relating to the passage of legislation or closely related matters.

However, plenty of congresscritters have been prosecuted for crimes like fraud, bribery, etc., because those acts were not committed as a part of a legitimate legislative process.

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