 Everyone's talking about Impeachment Impeachment Impeachment Impeachment Impeachment Impeachment Impeachment Well, two presidents have been impeached, but we're still able to finish out their terms. So then Whoop-de-doo! What does it all mean, Basil? And how can you talk about it in a way that doesn't sound like you just Googled impeached for the first time? Allow me to explain. It's really quite simple. Impeachment is like an indictment in a criminal case. Entighted! I'm gonna be entighted! No way this is gonna be okay. Before ever going to trial, a defendant is charged with a crime. Impeachment is basically the same thing, but the defendant is the president. In both of these cases, no one's been found guilty, yet. This is an accusatory function here. We're not the trial, the trial's in the Senate. But how does impeachment actually work? The Constitution is pretty vague and can be interpreted in different ways. But based on past precedent, here's how it tends to work. An allegation of impeachable offenses must be made. This can happen in a couple different ways. Through an independent investigation, a resolution drawn up by someone in Congress, or like this. I'm announcing the House of Representatives moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry. The president must be held accountable, no one is above the law. Next, House committees investigate impeachment allegations. This usually ends up falling on the House Judiciary Committee, who then votes whether to move the investigation forward. If the majority of the committee says hi, then impeachment goes to the House floor. And now, we're gonna bring in this guy. Well, I'm not a crook. Contrary to popular belief, it was at this point in the impeachment process that Richard Nixon's presidency came to an end. Yes, the House Judiciary Committee did recommend that he get impeached. I've come to the conclusion that Richard M. Nixon has, beyond a reasonable doubt, committed impeachable offenses which, in my judgment, are of such sufficient magnitude that he should be removed from office. But Nixon resigned before the House of Representatives could vote to impeach him. I shall resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow. Okay, where were we? Right. The House Judiciary Committee has voted to move the investigation forward and they've sent it to the floor of the House. Now, the House votes on articles of impeachment. And all they need is a simple majority for the president to be impeached. Let me reiterate, if the vote goes through, the president has been impeached. But impeachment doesn't mean they've been kicked out of office. It doesn't? That's actually up to the Senate. And now, it's their turn to run the show. Look at me short. Look at me short. I'm the captain now. The Senate chambers now become a courtroom and our 100 senators are the jury. Then, it's just like every Hollywood courtroom scene. But instead of this, I want the truth. You can't handle the truth. You get this. The question is on the resolution as amended. Mr. Abraham, I. Mr. Akaka. Mr. Akaka, no. Riveting stuff. During the trial, the House becomes the prosecution. The president's lawyers become the defense. And the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is the judge. Damn, that's a stacked lineup. That's hot. Then, the trial begins. Evidence is presented. Cross-examinations take place. All the lawyer-y stuff you'd expect. Then, the Senate votes. But this time, the vote has to pass by a two-thirds supermajority. In other words, 67 senators have to vote yes in order to remove the president from office, which is a good time to bring up this guy. Remember him? Well, probably not, because if you did, you'd be old enough to remember life without a telephone. In 1868, Andrew Johnson was the closest any president has come to getting kicked out of office. He was just one Senate vote away. So close. And if like Johnson, the Senate doesn't get enough votes, the president remains in office, like this guy. I did not have sexual relations with that woman. Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998 for lying under oath about an affair, which actually sounds kind of funny now, right? Getting impeached for having an affair or lying? This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period. Anyway, only 45 senators voted to expel Clinton from office. So he was acquitted and went on to finish his term as an impeached president. Probably did not add that qualification to his LinkedIn. Hi, I'm Bill. You might remember me from getting impeached. But what would happen if, for the first time, a president was removed from office after being impeached? As expected, the vice president would step in. I'm kind of a big deal, too. But there's a whole laundry list of cabinet positions ready to jump in if the previous one steps down or dies or also gets impeached. And if a disaster like a robot uprising somehow takes down everyone else in line, As of this moment, we are at war. You can take comfort in the fact that the succession line goes all the way down to number 16, the secretary of education. Which may not sound ideal, but just remember it was this secretary of education who saved humanity from extinction. Who put you in charge? The answer is no one, but this is a government ship and I am the senior government official, so that puts me in charge. So what have we learned here today? Impeachment is serious. But it doesn't actually mean removal from office. Of course it's important, but it's just one major stop in a longer and more tedious journey. It's like finally seeing a Denny's in the middle of a long road trip with your significant other's parents. Yes, the grand slam breakfast tastes amazing, but then you've got another eight hours of listening to Kenny G's greatest hits before you reach Mount Rushmore. From sea to shining sea Hey guys, thank you so much for watching this video. I had a lot of fun making it. And if you'd like to see more, subscribe to attention on YouTube. Thank you.