The Senate is empowered to hold trials. The House is not.

[Stinky The Clown]

The Media seems to not know this.

The media has been reporting all day that Rangel is "on trial." The media has been telling us there is a "rare trial in the House."

This makes me want to rip the speakers out of the teevee.

[hlthe2b]

1. True... But the media doesn't know the diff between a hearing,

an investigation, nor squat about the realities of how things work in the Senate or House. Ignorance is pervasive.

[tritsofme]

2. The Senate does not hold any trials for House members.

So I'm not sure what you are going for here.

While technically this is not a trial it is a "Adjudicatory Hearing" the committee will deliberate based on the facts and testimony and issue it's final ruling. While it may be formally called something else, that sounds like a trial to me.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. I didn't say "the Senate holds trials for the House." The Senate holds impeachment trials.

They are called that: trials.

The activities you cite, while similar to trials, are not. They're called other than "trials" for a reason.

[Motown_Johnny]

4. The House Holds Impeachment Trials (not the senate)

Which is how Pelosi ran on "No Impeachment! Not On My Watch".




http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/thepresidentandcabinet/a/impeachment.htm


^snip^




In the House of Representatives

•The House Judiciary Committee decides whether or not to proceed with impeachment. If they do...
•The Chairman of the Judiciary Committee will propose a Resolution calling for the Judiciary Committee to begin a formal inquiry into the issue of impeachment.
•Based on their inquiry, the Judiciary Committee will send another Resolution to the full House stating that impeachment is warranted and why (the Articles of Impeachment), or that impeachment is not called for.

[justanaverageguy]

5. Not true

The house of doesn't conduct the trial, that is conducted in the Senate. The charges originate in the house. Now admittedly the house may hold hearings and investigations to determine in the facts warrant impeachment. However the verdict is determined by a trial conducted by the Senate with the Chief Justice presiding over the trial.

This is off the top of my head, I will in the meantime consult my constitution.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. No. Think of the House as the DA's office. They charge. But it is the Senate that tries.

Were you paying attention when Clinton was impeached? Do you recall that Lindsay Graham was a congressman back then, one of the House Managers that solemnly strolled over to the Senate Chamber with their little books in the little hands, looking stupid for all the world?