The correct description of the impeachment process is:
"By a simple majority, the House of Representatives must vote for the impeachment of a federal official. The Senate then holds a trial."
Evidence:
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Constitutional Basis:
- Article II, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution states that the President, Vice President, and all civil Officers of the United States can be impeached for treason, bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
- Article I, Section 2 stipulates that the House of Representatives shall have the sole power of impeachment, which is a simple majority vote.
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Process Overview:
- Once the House votes to impeach, the process moves to the Senate.
- Article I, Section 3 provides that the Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. A two-thirds majority vote in the Senate is required to convict and remove the official from office.
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Clarification:
- The Senate does not hold a trial for the purpose of impeachment itself; rather, it holds a trial to determine whether or not to convict the impeached official.
- The Supreme Court does not have a role in the impeachment process, as it is directly a legislative function performed by Congress.
Thus, the correct information aligns with the first option provided in your responses.