How Impeachment Works, Illustrated

What are the basics of impeachment?

• The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the sole power to impeach a president. The Senate is tasked with holding an impeachment trial and deciding whether to convict or acquit the commander-in-chief.

What's happened so far with this impeachment?

• On February 9, the Senate will begin the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump on the charge of “incitement of insurrection" at the U.S. Capitol.
• Ten House Republicans broke party ranks to vote in favor of impeachment on January 13, including Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who chairs the House Republican Conference.
• The House voted 232-197 to impeach Trump, with four GOP abstentions.

Illustrated impeachment

*Note: This trial will not be presided over by the chief justice of the Supreme Court; instead, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) will act as the presiding officer.

-Josh Herman