high crimes
Grave governmental misconduct
High crimes are serious offenses committed by public officials that abuse the power of their office.
The phrase appears in the U.S.
Constitution as grounds for impeachment: high crimes and misdemeanors.
Despite the name, high refers not to severity but to the elevated position of the offender—crimes committed from high office.
The category includes bribery, corruption, and betrayal of public trust, whether or not they violate criminal statutes.
Charging officials with misconduct
- treasonBetraying one's nation
- seditionInciting revolt against government
- misdemeanorsMinor legal violations
- abuse of powerMisusing entrusted authority
obstruction of justice · bribery · oath of office · removal from office · articles of impeachment · congressional inquiry · executive overreach · maladministration
Betraying one's nation
- seditionInciting revolt against government
- espionageCovert intelligence gathering
- defectionAbandoning one's loyalty
- collusionFraudulent secret cooperation
disloyalty · perfidy · treachery · double-dealing · turncoat · selling out · classified leaks · subversion
Corrupt payment for influence
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- graftIllicit political gain
- kickbacksIllegal return payments
- money launderingDisguising criminal proceeds' origins
extortion · misappropriation · cronyism · nepotism · racketeering · fraud · collusion · profiteering
Formal charge from jury
- felonySerious criminal offense
- convictionFirmly held belief
- impeachment trialLegislative removal proceeding
- special counselAppointed investigator for conflicts
grand jury · evidence · testimony · perjury · obstruction · subpoena · prosecution · defendant
Odiously, shockingly evil
- egregiousConspicuously awful
- graveSerious and worrying
- capital offenseCrime punishable by execution
- aggravatedIntensified or vexed
profound · extreme · dire · serious · weighty · unpardonable · unconscionable · reprehensible
impeachment
Charging officials with misconduct
- treasonBetraying one's nation
- seditionInciting revolt against government
- misdemeanorsMinor legal violations
abuse of power · obstruction of justice · bribery · oath of office · removal from office · articles of impeachment · congressional inquiry · executive overreach · maladministration · dereliction of duty
treason
Betraying one's nation
- seditionInciting revolt against government
- espionageCovert intelligence gathering
- defectionAbandoning one's loyalty
collusion · disloyalty · perfidy · treachery · double-dealing · turncoat · selling out · classified leaks · subversion · insurrection
bribery
Corrupt payment for influence
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- graftIllicit political gain
- kickbacksIllegal return payments
money laundering · extortion · misappropriation · cronyism · nepotism · racketeering · fraud · collusion · profiteering · kleptocracy
indictment
Formal charge from jury
- felonySerious criminal offense
- convictionFirmly held belief
- impeachment trialLegislative removal proceeding
special counsel · grand jury · evidence · testimony · perjury · obstruction · subpoena · prosecution · defendant · sentencing
heinous
Odiously, shockingly evil
- egregiousConspicuously awful
- graveSerious and worrying
- capital offenseCrime punishable by execution
aggravated · profound · extreme · dire · serious · weighty · unpardonable · unconscionable · reprehensible · atrocity
- impeachmentimpeachment, articles of impeachment, impeachment inquiry, Senate trial, misdemeanors
- Nixon eraNixon, Watergate scandal, resignation, impeachment, coverup
high crimespetty offenses
Minor criminal violations
misdemeanors · infractions · traffic violations · jaywalking · parking tickets
high crimesnoble deeds
Morally admirable actions
good behavior · public service · acts of heroism · patriotic duty · civic virtue
high, crime, criminal, higher, highest, crimes, criminality, high crime