弹劾(impeachment)

指立法机关为反对某个政府官员而提起的一种刑事诉讼程序。在美国，总统、副总统和其他联邦官员，包括法官，都可能被众议院弹劾。众议员起草了弹劾的条文，详列其罪状和确实的依据。一旦经大多数的众议员通过，这些罪状条文就会提交参议院审核，付诸审判。在总结时，每个议员依每条罪状投票赞成或反对定罪，定罪需要2/3的议员同意。被判有罪的官员可能被免职。美国宪法规定对「犯有重大罪行和品行不端」的官员要弹劾；权威人士赞同对无罪的行为不当也可加以弹劾（如违宪）。美国史上有两位总统（即詹森和柯林顿）曾经被弹劾但获判无罪。1974年众议院起草了弹劾尼克森的罪状条款，但他在正式诉讼之前就辞职了。在英国，由下议院充当检察官，上议院则充当法官；在以前，弹劾是议会免除不受欢迎的大臣职务的一种手段，这些大臣往往是受君王保护的宫廷宠臣。19世纪初当内阁大臣改为对议会而不是对国王负责时，就不再使用弹劾诉讼。

English version：

impeachment

Criminal proceeding instituted against a public official by a legislative body. In the U.S., the president, vice president, and other federal officers, including judges, may be impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives. The House draws up articles of impeachment that itemize the charges and their factual bases. Once approved by a majority of House members, the articles are submitted to the Senate, which holds a trial. At its conclusion, each member votes for or against conviction on each article; conviction requires a two-thirds majority. A convicted official can be removed from office. The U.S. Constitution specifies that an officer is to be impeached for “high crimes and misdemeanors”; experts agree that impeachment is permitted for noncriminal misconduct (e.g., violation of the Constitution). Two U.S. presidents, Andrew Johnson and William Jefferson Clinton, have been impeached but acquitted. Articles of impeachment were drawn up against Pres. Richard Nixon in 1974, who resigned before formal proceedings could begin. In Britain, where the House of Commons prosecutes and the House of Lords judges impeachment proceedings, impeachment was formerly a means by which Parliament could get rid of unpopular ministers, usually court favorites protected by the monarch. The procedure fell into disuse in the early 19th century, when cabinet ministers became responsible to Parliament rather than to the sovereign.