So Blago gets impeached and then gets his day in court. So

[chelsea0011]

if he is found not guilty or the charges get dropped does he become governor again?

[Ioo]

1. Impeachment is NOT a CRIMINAL trial... it has always been political

So it DOES NOT MATTER. They can impeach him for being an asshole.. and nothing more

[chelsea0011]

2. Is that true? There are no standards for impeachment?

[ipfilter]

3. It's just a formal way to

fire an elected official.

[surrealAmerican]

4. There are standards, but they are not limited ...

... to criminal behavior. For example: you can impeach a governor for being mentally unstable.

[Occam Bandage]

6. Realistically, yes.

Andrew Johnson was impeached for nothing more than being a jackass (the Stanton affair was the flimsiest of covers).

[H2O Man]

7. Impeachment

is a civil trial. A person can be convicted of abuses of the power of office, which do not have to be criminal in nature.

[Occam Bandage]

5. No. Impeachment is a political process with different standards.

It's like how a man can be found liable in a civil court and not guilty in a criminal court for the same action--the first requires only a preponderance of evidence, and the second evidence beyond a shadow of a doubt. Additionally, the first requires only a tort or breach of contract of some sort, while the second requires violation of a specific law.