The US Constitution is based on British Common Law. BCL provides the entire framework for legal interpretation under which the colonies and founders operated. To pick one simple and obvious example, "impeachment" is never even defined in the Constitution. They never say what it is because the word already had a clearly established legal meaning... in British Common Law! Lol.

Furthermore, being removed from office isn't a "condition". It is a penalty. It is one of TWO penalties listed. They can still impose the other as well - disqualification. Thus, there's not even a hint of a contradiction.

(BTW, even if removal were the only penalty, that would still not make for a contradiction of text. The concept you're looking for is the idea that resignation would make the question of guilt "moot." But that wouldn't be true, either. Impeachment isn't a criminal procedure. The Senate can have every right and interest in continuing with an impeachment trial even if there's no penalty whatsoever simply to establish an official finding of fact. There is, again, no contradiction between this and the text.)

The US Constitution is based on British Common Law. BCL provides the entire legal framework for legal interpretation under which the colonies and founders operated. To pick one simple and obvious example, "impeachment" is never even defined in the Constitution! They never say what it is because the word already had a clearly established legal meaning... in British Common Law. Lol.

Furthermore, being removed from office isn't a "condition". It is a penalty. It is one of TWO penalties listed. They can still impose the other as well - disqualification. Thus, there's not even a hint of a contradiction.

(BTW, even if removal were the only penalty, that would still not make for a contradiction of text. The concept your looking for is that resignation would make the question of guilt "moot", but that wouldn't be true, either. Impeachment isn't a criminal procedure. The Senate can have every right and interest in continuing with an impeachment trial even if there's no penalty whatsoever simply to establish an official finding of fact. There is, again, no contradiction between this and the text.)