Which branch of government has the power to impeach officials?

The Legislative Branch holds the power to impeach officials, which is a crucial function within the system of checks and balances established by the U.S. Constitution. Impeachment is a process that allows Congress to remove the President, Vice President, and other federal officials from office if they are found guilty of misconduct, such as treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

This power is primarily exercised by the House of Representatives, which has the sole authority to initiate impeachment proceedings. If the House votes to impeach, the case is then sent to the Senate, which conducts a trial to determine whether the official should be removed from office. A two-thirds majority in the Senate is required for conviction and removal.

The other branches of government—the Judicial Branch and the Executive Branch—do not have the authority to impeach. The Judicial Branch interprets the laws and can be involved in cases concerning impeachment through judicial review or cases that arise from impeachment decisions, but it doesn’t have the power to initiate an impeachment. The Executive Branch, which includes the President, can be the subject of impeachment but does not participate in the process itself. Local Government is also not relevant to this context, as impeachment is a federal process.