Final answer:
In the United States, "other high Crimes and Misdemeanors" are determined by Congress and are grounds for impeachment. The House of Representatives initiates the impeachment process, while the Senate conducts the trial. The term allows Congress flexibility in interpretation when charging civil officers, including the president.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase "other high Crimes and Misdemeanors" mentioned in the United States Constitution, specifically Article II, Section 4, refers to offenses that the United States Congress determines to be grounds for impeachment. This implies that these offenses are not clearly defined within the Constitution and can encompass a broad array of actions deemed by Congress to be serious abuses of power or breaches of public trust.
In the impeachment process, the House of Representatives is authorized to instigate impeachment proceedings and charge the president, vice president, or other civil officers with these offenses. Following this, a trial is held in the Senate, and the president can only be removed from office upon conviction with a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate, with the trial presided over by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court if the president is the one being tried.
It is essential to note that the exact definition of "high crimes and misdemeanors" is not explicitly provided, which gives Congress the flexibility to interpret what constitutes such a crime, often within the context of contemporary standards of law and ethics.