The doors to the Senate chamber should be open and the American people permitted to witness the proceedings to the extent possible. They should be able to understand the case for the President’s removal and the President’s defense. An impeachment trial of a president is a matter of exceptional importance to the American people. The trial should be open to the public.Both should occur before a vote to dispose of or approve an article of impeachment. The Senate must allow members of the House to present the case for the President’s removal and the President should be afforded an opportunity to respond. The Senate should hear the full case before voting on the President’s removal.For that reason, any supplemental rules or modifications to the existing rules should be agreed to before the trial commences. A trial can only be fair if the rules are agreed to in advance. Trial procedures should be established before the trial commences.
The Senate has established and may modify its own rules supplementing these constitutional requirements.įour principles for conducting a full, transparent, and fair impeachment trial: The Constitution authorizes the Senate to “determine the rules of its proceedings,” including additional rules governing an impeachment trial by the Senate. Supreme Court will preside if the trial involves a president. Basic Principles for a Full, Transparent, and Fair Impeachment Trialīasic Principles for a Full, Transparent, and Fair Impeachment TrialĪrticle I of the Constitution grants the House the sole power of impeachment, and if the House does impeach, the Senate the “sole power to try all impeachments.” It also provides that the Chief Justice of the U.S.