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Comment by technothrasher | Hacker News Reader

You added the adjective "serious" to misdemeanors, which is not in the Constitution. The "high" in "high crimes and misdemeanors" means crimes and misdemeanors committed by high officials, not crimes and misdemeanors that are extreme.

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The constitution actually doesn't really say anything about what misdemeanours are applicable in this case. This part has been shaped over time in congress, similar to how common law is shaped by courts.

If I understand you correctly, then if a President's cabinet (high officials) break the law the President can be impeached. Which makes sense to me. It places accountability on the President to pick trust worthy people and to immediately get rid of them if they break the law (to lessen the chances they'd be impeached for not doing something about it and insuring they are prosecuted).

     impeached

As Trump showed, impeachment doesn't mean shit. Actual removal requires a 2/3 majority of the Senate, which is never ever happening.

This is why there is a general sense that the POTUS is now more or less completely untethered from any possible consequences for his actions.

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