Can Donald Trump Be Impeached? 3 Big Reasons The Republican President May Not Last A Four-Year Term

Since his victory on Election Day, many have openly wondered if President Donald Trump would complete his four-year term.

Fraught with scandals and lacking in government experience, Trump entered the Oval Office with so much political baggage that betting sites took odds on when he might resign or be impeached. It didn't help matters that Trump began his first week in office with a 36 percent approval rating -- the lowest for any new president.

But presidents aren't impeached just because they are unpopular. Congress would need highly damaging evidence to remove the commander-in-chief.

Indeed, it may seem extreme to presume Trump could become the first president since Richard Nixon in 1974 to leave office voluntarily (or otherwise) before his term ends. Specifically, Trump would have to violate Article 2, section 4 of the Constitution which states: “The president, vice president and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”

Nixon resigned after pressure mounted over his role in the Watergate Scandal, which stemmed from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex. Though the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee would vote to submit three articles of impeachment, Nixon resigned before the House could consider the impeachment articles. Bill Clinton was impeached by a GOP-dominated House in 1998 on one charge of perjury and one charge of obstruction of justice but was acquitted by the Senate.

Impeachment would require a majority vote in the House, currently made up of 241 Republicans and 190 Democrats. The Senate, which is essentially 52 Republicans and 48 Democrats, requires a two-thirds vote for conviction. Based on those numbers, and with Congress often voting strictly along party lines, Trump would have to commit serious malfeasance for Republicans to remove one of their own.

Still, a few issues have already arisen that could potentially cause trouble for Trump.

Lawsuits And Taxes

A growing number of lawsuits, combined with more fervent calls for the president to reveal his tax returns, could be Trump's undoing.

While Trump agreed in November to a $25 million settlement in a class-action suit alleging consumer violations and racketeering involving Trump University -- the settlement cleared him from testifying -- there are still more lawsuits pending. Summer Zervos, a former "Apprentice" contestant, recently filed a defamation lawsuit against him in New York state.

Trump also may come under intense scrutiny for the Donald J. Trump Foundation, which he sought to dissolve "to avoid even the appearance of any conflict" while president." But the New York state attorney general's office claims the foundation can't legally dissolve until their investigation closes. The philanthropic organization has already admitted in 2015 tax filings that it violated IRS regulations barring it from using its money or assets to help themselves, or their family or businesses.

During the campaign, Trump pledged he would release his taxes after an IRS audit is completed, but senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway would later state he has no plans to release them despite a whitehouse.gov petition that has garnered roughly a half-million signatures. The continued secrecy has fueled speculation that his taxes may have damaging information.

And things can get worse. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a Freedom of Information Act request on Jan. 19, asking the Justice Department, the General Services Administration and the Office of Government Ethics for all legal opinions and memos involving Trump's potential conflicts of interest, and those documents can be used in lawsuits against Trump.

Congress may have no choice but to implement impeachment procedures if the taxes reveal some type of a high crime like bribery or racketeering.

The Emoluments Clause

The anti-bribery clause is open to far-reaching interpretation but it forbids any "person holding any office of profit or trust under [the United States]" from accepting "any present, emolument, office or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state [unless Congress explicitly consents]."

Trump, who handed off business interests to his sons, has already hosted diplomats at his new Washington hotel, which prompted liberal watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics to file a suit in January. Trump has insisted that the lawsuit is "totally without merit."

What works in Trump's favor is that CREW must prove Trump’s actions have directly harmed their organization, which should be difficult. But other D.C. hotels can file a similar lawsuit against Trump.

Perjury Or Obstruction Of Justice

The House impeached Clinton on this charge after the Office of Independent Counsel concluded from the Paula Jones sexual harassment case that Clinton "endeavored to obstruct justice during the grand jury investigation by refusing to testify for seven months and lying to senior White House aides with knowledge that they would relay the president's false statements to the grand jury — and did thereby deceive, obstruct and impede the grand jury."

With so many lawsuits pending, Trump might be called upon to testify and could make one comment under oath that contradicts another comment under oath, which would mean he committed perjury.

The CIA, FBI and other agencies are investigating whether Trump or anyone in his campaign colluded with Russia over the hacking of the DNC. According to McClatchy's Washington bureau, sources say the agencies are looking into "the activities of a few Americans who were affiliated with Trump’s campaign or his business empire and of multiple individuals from Russia and other former Soviet nations who had similar connections."

Trump, who has categorically denied any collusion with Russia, may have to cooperate fully with investigators or potentially face obstruction of justice charges.

Is It Worth It For Democrats?

While liberals and Democrats may rejoice over the removal of Trump, it would also mean that Mike Pence would become the next president.

The vice president is a traditional conservative and a hero of the Christian right while Trump is unpredictable and at least has shown some liberal leanings over his lifetime. Democrats may feel good about the idea of kicking out Trump but they should be careful about what they wish for. Pence would likely be far more conservative than Trump.