Bills of Congress by U.S. Congress

H.R.es143 - Impeaching Paul Engelmayer, judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (119th Congress)

Summary

H.Res.143 proposes the impeachment of Judge Paul Engelmayer of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The resolution alleges that Judge Engelmayer engaged in judicial misconduct and abused his judicial power. These accusations stem from his decision to halt President Trump's Executive Order establishing the Department of Government Efficiency.

Expected Effects

If the House of Representatives approves the resolution, articles of impeachment will be sent to the Senate for trial. A conviction by the Senate would result in Judge Engelmayer's removal from office. This could set a precedent for impeaching judges based on disagreements with their rulings.

Potential Benefits

  • Could reinforce the idea of accountability for judges.
  • May deter judges from making politically motivated rulings.
  • Upholds the principle that judges should be impartial.
  • Could restore public trust in the judiciary if the impeachment is viewed as justified.
  • Addresses concerns about judicial overreach.

Potential Disadvantages

  • Could undermine judicial independence if used for political retribution.
  • May discourage judges from ruling against the executive branch.
  • Could further polarize the political climate.
  • May set a precedent for impeaching judges based on policy disagreements.
  • Could damage the reputation of the judiciary.

Constitutional Alignment

The Constitution grants the House of Representatives the sole power of impeachment (Article I, Section 2) and the Senate the sole power to try all impeachments (Article I, Section 3). The grounds for impeachment are "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors" (Article II, Section 4). The resolution alleges "high crimes and misdemeanors," but the underlying conduct relates to disagreement with a judicial ruling, which may not meet the constitutional threshold for impeachment.

Impact Assessment: Things You Care About

This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).