What legal term describes the formal process of charging a government official with misconduct?

The formal accusation of wrongdoing against a government official is known as impeachment. This is a crucial constitutional process that allows a legislative body to bring charges against an elected or appointed official for severe alleged misconduct, such as treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. It serves as a vital check and balance on power, ensuring accountability within the government.

In the United States, the impeachment process begins in the House of Representatives, which has the sole power to initiate these charges. If the House votes to approve articles of impeachment by a simple majority, the official is then considered "impeached." This, however, is not the end of the process, nor does it automatically remove the official from office.

Following impeachment by the House, the process moves to the Senate, which holds an impeachment trial. The Senate acts as a jury, and a two-thirds majority vote of the senators present is required for conviction and removal from office. Historically, while the House has initiated impeachment proceedings over 60 times against federal officials, only 21 have resulted in actual impeachments, and a smaller number have led to conviction and removal. All eight officials removed from office have been federal judges. Three U.S. presidents—Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump—have been impeached by the House, but none were ultimately convicted and removed by the Senate.