what is impeachment

Impeachment is the process of bringing charges against a government official for wrongdoing. In the United States, the House of Representatives has the power to impeach federal officials, and the Senate has the sole power to try all impeachments. If the Senate convicts an impeached official by a two-thirds vote, the penalty is removal from office. The official can be impeached for treason, bribery, and "other high crimes and misdemeanors" as stated in the U.S. Constitution. The process of impeachment is a fundamental component of the system of checks and balances in the U.S. government