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To: rolling_stone
"How about Article x against Johnson?"

How about FACTS a$$hole...that's what's necessary to impeach a president.

108 posted on 03/12/2006 6:33:43 PM PST by harpu ( "...it's better to be hated for who you are than loved for someone you're not!")
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To: harpu
How about FACTS a$$hole...that's what's necessary to impeach a president.

Sorry to have tripped your trigger and have you resort to profanity. It does not bade well for you prevailing in the discussion. Congress determines what is an impeachable offense, factual or otherwise. high Crimes and misdemeanors are actually broader than many think.

http://www.c-span.org/questions/week119.htm

"High crimes and misdemeanors" entered the text of the Constitution due to George Mason and James Madison. Mason had argued that the reasons given for impeachment -- treason and bribery -- were not enough. He worried that other "great and dangerous offenses" might not be covered, and suggested adding the word "maladministration." Madison argued that term was too vague, so Mason then proposed "high crimes and misdemeanors," a phrase well-known in English common law. In 18th century language, a "misdemeanor" meant "mis-demeanor,"or bad behavior (neglect of duty and corruption were given as examples), while "high crimes" was roughly equivalent to "great offenses."

Lawyers and historians are still arguing about the exact meaning of "high crimes and misdemeanors," dividing into three schools of thought about the appropriate definition: (1) serious criminality evidenced by breaking existing law; (2) an abuse of office, and (3) the Alexander Hamilton standard (Federalist 65) of "violation of public trust."

122 posted on 03/12/2006 8:04:05 PM PST by rolling_stone (Question Authority!)
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