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Senate Rules For Impeachment Trials

Jan 08, 1999

These are the Senate Rules for use in Impeachment Trial.

They are extracted from Rules and Manual of the Senate.

Senate rules pertaining to impeachment trials.

RULES OF PROCEDURE AND PRACTICE IN THE SENATE WHEN SITTING ON IMPEACHMENT
TRIALS

[From Rules and Manual of the Senate; revised pursuant to S. Res. 479, 99–2, Aug. 16, 1986]

I. Whensoever the Senate shall receive notice from the House of Representatives that managers are appointed on their part to conduct an impeachment against any person and are directed to carry articles of impeachment to the Senate, the Secretary of the Senate shall immediately inform the House of Representatives that the Senate is ready to receive the managers for the purpose of exhibiting such articles of impeachment, agreeably to such notice. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Congress, Impeachment Tagged With:

Senators Sworn In; Impeachment Trial Jury Takes Office; Chief Justice Rehnquist Presides

Jan 07, 1999

This is the official Senate record of the swearing-in of new senators.

With new senators in place, the Senate was able to move towards conducting the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, William Rehnquist, was also sworn in as the presiding officer for the impeachment trial.

Proceedings of the United States Senate.

The PRESIDENT pro tempore: Under the previous order, the hour of 1 p.m. having arrived, and a quorum having been established, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of the articles of impeachment against William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Congress, Impeachment Tagged With: ,

Clinton Impeachment Trial To Start This Week

Jan 03, 1999

Following his impeachment by the House of Representatives on December 19, President Bill Clinton is facing a trial in the Senate that is likely to commence around January 6, 1999.

ClintonThe Senate, comprising 55 Republican members and 45 Democrats, has the power to try the president and, upon conviction, remove him from office. Vice-President Al Gore would become president if this occurred.

The Christmas holiday period has seen much discussion amongst American politicians about how to proceed in the coming weeks. Very few people believe that there are 67 votes in the Senate needed to convict the president, although commentators acknowledge that very little about the Lewinsky matter has been predictable during 1998 and a Senate trial is fraught with uncertainty. [Read more…]

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Henry Hyde’s Letter To Trent Lott Regarding Impeachment Trial

Dec 30, 1998

Following the impeachment of President Bill Clinton by the House of Representatives, Henry Hyde wrote to Senator Trent Lott regarding arrangements for the trial.

Hyde was Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Lott was the Republican Senate leader.

Text of Henry Hyde’s letter to Senator Trent Lott.

Dear Majority Leader Lott:

The press has recently reported a great deal of speculation about how the Senate may organize and conduct a Senate impeachment trial of President Clinton. The twelve other managers and I have discussed this matter at great length, and as the parties who must present and manage the case for conviction and removal on behalf of the House of Representatives, we fully agree with your remarks that “We (the Senate) need to go forward and do our constitutional duty to hear the evidence.” However, we have concerns with your proposal that the parties call no witnesses during the Senate’s consideration of the articles. We are also concerned with your proposal that you might foreclose any trial if the House position fails to get a two-thirds vote on a preliminary motion before the Senate has even had a full airing of the evidence. This proposal effectively grants one-third of the Senate the power to decide whether there will be any airing of the evidence. [Read more…]

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