It appears that the House of Representatives’ Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has wrapped up its fact-finding in the impeachment process, and will be sending its report to the House Judiciary Committee. Judiciary, and presumably the full House, will then be tasked with the question of whether the actions of President Trump (and perhaps others) constitute impeachable offenses. The outcome does appear inevitable, but let’s step back a moment—after all, impeaching and removing a duly elected President of the United States is a very serious and somber act.

As practically everyone by now knows, the U.S. Constitution lays out the standard. A president or other civil officer may be impeached if he or she is guilty of “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” The provision is simply stated, but somewhat elusive.