, Columnist
When Impeachment Is Mandatory
In the case of certain crimes, the House is required, not merely permitted, to initiate proceedings.
The buck starts here.
Photographer: Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images
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Suppose that within the next few months, it becomes clear that President Donald Trump has committed impeachable offenses. Does the House of Representatives have discretion to decide whether to impeach him? Or does the Constitution require it to do so?
The simplest answer, and the best, is that the Constitution requires the House to do so.