was wondering. some story i read said aquittal. so i aksed gemini:
hi! in the usa politcal system, if the president is impeached by the house and then the senate doesn’t find him guilty, is he “aquitted” of the charges, therefore no longer impeached, or is it more of he is just not guilty of what he was impeaached for. and since double jeopadry, can’t be tried again for same crime.
You’re hitting on some key points about impeachment in the US political system! Here’s a breakdown:
- Impeachment is like an indictment: The House of Representatives acts like a grand jury, deciding if there’s enough evidence to bring charges (articles of impeachment). If a simple majority votes to impeach, the president is impeached. This is analogous to being indicted but not yet found guilty in a criminal court.
- The Senate holds the trial: The Senate then holds a trial, with Senators acting as the jury. A two-thirds vote is required to convict.
- Acquittal means not guilty: If the Senate doesn’t reach the two-thirds threshold to convict, the president is acquitted. This means they are not guilty of the charges brought against them in the articles of impeachment.
- Impeachment remains on the record: Even if acquitted, the impeachment itself is still a historical fact. It’s not erased.
- Double jeopardy doesn’t fully apply: While double jeopardy prevents someone from being tried twice for the same crime in regular court, impeachment is a political process, not a criminal one. Theoretically, a president could be impeached again on different charges, even if related to the original ones.
Think of it this way:
Imagine a student accused of cheating. The principal (House) investigates and decides there’s enough evidence to formally accuse the student (impeachment). The school board (Senate) holds a hearing. If they don’t find the student guilty, the student is not punished. However, the accusation and hearing are still part of the student’s record, even if they were found not guilty.
Important Note: Impeachment is a rare and serious event in US history. It’s designed to address misconduct at the highest levels of government.
