How does impeachment work? - Alex Gendler

譯者: Christina Wang 審譯者: Helen Chang

「參議院應擁有審判彈劾的 一切權力。」──美國憲法

For most jobs, it's understood that you can be fired,

對於大多數工作， 我們都理解為什麼會被解僱：

whether for crime,

或許是因為犯罪，

incompetence,

或能力欠缺，

or just poor performance.

或僅僅因為表現不佳。

But what if your job happens to be the most powerful position in the country,

但是如果你恰好是一國之君，

or the world?

乃至世界的統治者呢？

That's where impeachment comes in.

這時解僱就被稱為彈劾。

Impeachment isn't the same as actually removing someone from office.

彈劾與實際上把某人 從辦公室中移除並不相同。

Like an indictment in criminal court,

就像法庭的開庭控訴一樣，

it's only the formal accusation that launches a trial,

這僅僅意味著審判正式開始，

which could end in conviction or acquittal.

結果可能是定罪或是無罪釋放。

Originating in the United Kingdom,

彈劾的概念起源於英國：

impeachment allowed Parliament to vote for removing a government official from office

國會可以通過投票彈劾 以解聘政府官員，

even without the king's consent.

而這甚至無需國王首肯。

Although this was an important check on royal power,

儘管彈劾監控了皇族的權利，

the king couldn't be impeached

國王卻不能被彈劾，

because the monarch was considered the source of all government power.

因為當時的英國認為 君主是一切政府權力的根基。

But for the founders of the American Republic,

但是美國的建國者認為

there was no higher authority beyond the people themselves.

人民的權利高於一切。

And so impeachment was adopted in the United States as a power of Congress

所以美國將彈劾作為 國會解僱任意官員的手段，

applying to any civil officers, up to and including the president.

總統也不例外。

Although demands for impeachment can come from any members of the public,

儘管彈劾的呼聲 可以從任何民眾傳來，

only the House of Representatives has the power to actually initiate the process.

只有美國眾議院才能實際啟動彈劾。

It begins by referring the matter to a committee,

彈劾開始於把情況提交到委員會：

usually the House Committee on Rules

一般是眾議院議事規則委員會

and the House Committee on the Judiciary.

和司法委員會。

These committees review the accusations,

這些委員會審核提交的控告，

examine the evidence,

審查證據，

and issue a recommendation.

然後發佈建議。

If they find sufficient grounds to proceed,

如果委員會認為有足夠理由彈劾，

the House holds a separate vote on each of the specific charges,

眾議會會針對每一項 具體的指控進行投票。

known as Articles of Impeachment.

這些指控被稱為彈劾條款。

If one or more passes by a simple majority,

如果一個以上的指控投票過半數，

the official is impeached and the stage is set for trial.

被指控的官員就被彈劾了， 準備接受法庭審判。

The actual trial that follows impeachment is held in the Senate.

彈劾後的法庭審判 是在美國參議院舉行。

Selected members of the House, known as managers, act as the prosecution,

眾議院選中的成員， 稱作檢控幹事，組成控訴方，

while the impeached official and their lawyers present their defense.

而被彈劾的官員 和他的律師們組成辯護方。

The Senate acts as both judge and jury,

參議院則既是法官也是陪審團，

conducting the trial and deliberating after hearing all the arguments.

主辦庭審，並在聽過 所有論據後審議。

If it's the president or vice president being impeached,

如果被彈劾的是總統或副總統，

the chief justice of the Supreme Court presides.

最高法院的首席大法官會主持庭審。

A conviction requires a supermajority of two-thirds

定罪需要三分之二以上的多數贊同。

and results in automatic removal from power.

定罪後，被彈劾的官員自動免職。

Depending on the original charges,

取決於最開始的控訴條款，

it can also disqualify them from holding office in the future

有些時候定罪會 取消他們未來任公職的資格，

and open them to standard criminal prosecution.

也可能對他們展開標準刑事訴訟。

So what exactly can get someone impeached?

所以說什麼會讓一個人被彈劾呢？

That's a bit more complicated.

這就有點複雜了。

Unlike in the United Kingdom,

不像英國，

impeachment in the U.S. pits an elected legislature

美國的彈劾讓選舉出來的 立法機關（國會）

against other democratically elected members of government.

和同樣民主選舉出來的 政府官員形成對立。

Therefore, to prevent the process from being used as a political weapon,

因此，為了阻止彈劾 被用作成政治武器，

the Constitution specifies that an official can only be impeached

美國憲法規定一個官員 只能被以下原因而彈劾：

for treason,

叛國、

bribery,

賄賂，

or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

和其他重罪和不檢行為。

That still leaves a lot of room for interpretation,

然而這還是可以有很多種解釋方式，

not to mention politics,

就別提政治權術了。

and many impeachment trials have split along partisan lines.

很多彈劾庭審沿著黨派分裂。

But the process is generally understood to be reserved for serious abuses of power.

不過大家基本都理解彈劾 只被用在嚴重濫用權力的時候。

The first official to be impeached was Tennesse Senator William Blount in 1797

第一個被彈劾的官員是田納西州的 參議員威廉·布朗特，1797 年

for conspiring with Britain to cease the Spanish colony of Louisiana.

理由是和英國密謀奪取 屬於西班牙的路易斯安那。

Since then, the House has launched impeachment investigations about 60 times,

從那以後，眾議院已展開了 大約 60 次彈劾調查，

but only 19 have led to actual impeachment proceedings.

但只有 19 次的調查 進入了彈劾的正式程序。

The eight cases that ended in a conviction and removal from office

真正成功定罪並免除職位的 8 次彈劾

were all federal judges.

都是針對聯邦法官的。

And impeachment of a sitting president is even more rare.

針對現任總統的彈劾就更少了。

Andrew Johnson was impeached in 1868

安德魯·詹森總統在 1868 年被彈劾，

for attempting to replace Secretary of War Edwin Stanton

理由是試圖不經過參議院商討 直接替換戰爭部部長愛德溫·史坦頓。

without consulting the Senate.

Over a century later, Bill Clinton was impeached

一個多世紀後，克林頓總統被彈劾，

for making false statements under oath during a sexual harassment trial.

理由是在一個性騷擾庭審中 宣誓後做出偽證。

Both were ultimately acquitted when the Senate's votes to convict

兩個人最終都被宣判無罪，

fell short of the required two-thirds majority.

因為參議院的同意票 沒有到規定的三分之二。

And contrary to popular belief,

和民眾普遍認為的相反，

Richard Nixon was never actually impeached for the Watergate scandal.

尼克森總統並沒有 因為水門案而真的被彈劾。

He resigned before it could happen

他在彈劾前直接辭職了，

knowing he would almost certainly be convicted.

知道自己幾乎一定會被定罪。

Theoretically, the U.S. government is already designed

理論上，美國政府的設計 已經防止了權力濫用：

to prevent abuses of power,

limiting different branches through a system of checks and balances,

通過三權分立的體系和制衡，

term limits,

任期限定，

and free elections.

和自由選舉。

But impeachment can be seen as an emergency brake

不過彈劾可以 被視作為一個緊急剎車，

for when these safeguards fail.

用在這些保護措施都失效的時候。

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