DemDaily: How to Get Rid of a President
March 26, 2018
Almost a year ago I wrote about "How to Get Rid of a President."
Just over three months into his administration, the internet and airwaves were rife with calls for President Trump's impeachment - for reasons long-since dwarfed by subsequent events.
Since the mission of DemList is to educate and inform, we offer a review of the process and possibilities for ousting the current occupant of the White House.
How to Get Rid of a President
The four ways include impeachment and conviction by the US Congress, removal by the Cabinet, resignation or death in office.
"The President, Vice President, and all civil Officers of the United States shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other High Crimes and Misdemeanors."
-- Article II of the United States Constitution, Section 4
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Impeachment
The House of Representatives has the sole power to impeach a president, but removal from office is contingent upon trial and conviction by the United States Senate.

Johnson impeached for firing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton
When an impeachment process involves a US President, the Chief Justice of the United States is required to preside during the Senate trial (usually the VP's job).
Only two US Presidents have been impeached: Andrew Johnson, in 1868, for violation of the Tenure in Office Act, and Bill Clinton, 1998, for perjury and obstruction of justice. In both cases the Senate failed to convict.

Nixon Resigned before House could Impeach
Resignation
While articles of impeachment were brought against President Richard Nixon by the House Judiciary Committee in 1974, Nixon resigned the Presidency before a vote could be taken by the full House.
Aside from that sole resignation, history records only eight others, all from death, who left the White House before their term was over: William Henry Harrison (1841), Zachary Taylor (1850), Abraham Lincoln (1865), James Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1901), Warren G. Harding (1923), Franklin D. Roosevelt (1945) and John F. Kennedy (1963).
The Cabinet
That leaves removal by The Cabinet. Originally intended for transfer of power to address illness in office, the 25th Amendment to the Constitution allows for a sitting vice president and a majority of the executive branch's cabinet to, upon agreement, transfer power out of the hands of a sitting president.
"Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President." -25th Amendment, Article 4 |
In all cases, the chain of succession to the Presidency is the same. Should something cause Mr. Trump to leave office before his term is out, the White House goes to:
Order of Succession to the President (left column, then right)
Vice President: Mike Pence | Secretary of Commerce: Wilbur Ross |
Speaker of the House of Representatives: Paul Ryan | Secretary of Labor: Alex Acosta |
President pro tempore of the Senate: Orrin Hatch (retiring) | Secretary of Health and Human Services: Alex Azar. First Secretary, Tom Price resigned 9/9/17 |
Secretary of State: Mike Pompeo (former CIA Director) awaiting confirmation. First SOS,
Rex Tillerson fired 3/13/18
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Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Ben Carson |
Secretary of the Treasury: Steven Mnuchin | Secretary of Transportation: Elaine Chao |
Secretary of Defense: James Mattis | Secretary of Energy: Rick Perry |
Attorney General: Jeff Sessions
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Secretary of Education: Betsy DeVos |
Secretary of the Interior: Ryan Zinke | Secretary of Veterans Affairs: David Shulkin |
Secretary of Agriculture: Sonny Perdue |
Secretary of Homeland Security: Kirstjen Nielsen. First Secretary, John Kelly, appointed WH COS 7/28/17
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Likewise, the chances for pushing an impeachment and conviction through the GOP-controlled House with 238 Republicans (plus three open seats) and 192 Democrats (plus 2 open), and Senate with 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats (including 2 Independents), is highly improbable - at least before November.
The Answer: Elect a Democratic Congress in 2018.
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Sources: Wikipedia, US Constitution