General Discussion

kentuck

(111,101 posts) Sat Oct 5, 2019, 04:25 PM Oct 2019

Serious question: Can a president be impeached for just being vulgar?

Does a president have to break the law in order to be impeached?

Andrew Johnson was impeached just after the Civil War without any criminal charges that I have read about?

Bill Clinton was impeached for lying about a blowjob. He wanted to protect his family. Hillary almost left his butt over that one.

So what are these high standards for Donald Trump? What type of crime must he commit in order to be impeached? Holding up taxpayer dollars that Congress passed for Ukraine, to see if he can make a deal, whereby Ukraine will tear down his political opponent, and then he would release the money so they could protect themselves from an attack from Russian tanks.

Would that not be enough?

Then, produce a partial transcript that President Stable Genius can confess to his wrongdoing. In black and white, in writing, he admitted that he wanted "a favor, though", before he could release the money for the Javelin anti-tank missiles. Putin loved it! He was blowing kisses.

Is that impeachable?

9 replies

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Highlight:

Serious question: Can a president be impeached for just being vulgar? (Original Post) kentuck Oct 2019 OP

Some of the Articles of Impeachment Lodged against Johsnon ritapria Oct 2019 #1

There you go! kentuck Oct 2019 #2

In practice, it's highly unlikely anyone would block it unblock Oct 2019 #3

Congress decides what's impeachable...no, they don't need to break the law DrToast Oct 2019 #4

Yes as it is only the House that decides what "high crimes and misdemeanors" mean Kaleva Oct 2019 #5

Breaking the law is not a requirement for impeachment. The Constitutional requirement is PoliticAverse Oct 2019 #6

Everything that comes out of Trumps mouth is more Funtatlaguy Oct 2019 #7

Since the House impeaches and the Senate convicts and there's no avenue for appeal... Girard442 Oct 2019 #8

A Prez should be a role model, should be impeached for racism, vulgarity, misogyny, Hoyt Oct 2019 #9

ritapria

(1,812 posts)

1. Some of the Articles of Impeachment Lodged against Johsnon

Reply to kentuck (Original post)

Sat Oct 5, 2019, 04:29 PM

Oct 2019

Involved his crude and vulgar behavior as President …..

kentuck

(111,101 posts)

2. There you go!

Reply to ritapria (Reply #1)

Sat Oct 5, 2019, 04:30 PM

Oct 2019

We have a precedent!

unblock

(52,245 posts)

3. In practice, it's highly unlikely anyone would block it

Reply to kentuck (Original post)

Sat Oct 5, 2019, 04:31 PM

Oct 2019

If the house impeached and the senate convicted and removed, its highly unlikely that the Supreme Court would dismiss the whole thing, even if the accusations clearly didn't amount to "treason, bribery, or high crimes and misdemeanors".

Even if it was reversed, congress could just make up and accusation the clearly qualified.

If congress wants the president gone, they can remove him.

DrToast

(6,414 posts)

4. Congress decides what's impeachable...no, they don't need to break the law

Reply to kentuck (Original post)

Sat Oct 5, 2019, 04:33 PM

Oct 2019

So I guess you could impeach someone for being a potty mouth. Probably not a good political strategy though.

Kaleva

(36,307 posts)

5. Yes as it is only the House that decides what "high crimes and misdemeanors" mean

Reply to kentuck (Original post)

Sat Oct 5, 2019, 04:33 PM

Oct 2019

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)

6. Breaking the law is not a requirement for impeachment. The Constitutional requirement is

Reply to kentuck (Original post)

Sat Oct 5, 2019, 04:36 PM

Oct 2019

“high Crimes and Misdemeanors” which was a phrase chosen specifically for the then understanding of its meaning.

For a history and discussion of what it meant, see the Wikipedia page on it:

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