The VP does not preside because in the presidential line of succession if the President was removed, the VP would fill the role as president, meaning that the VP has enough motive to see the President removed from office.
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He has nothing to do with the impeachment trials.
It is the House and then the Senate with the Chief Justice as the judge.
The vice-president of the US normally presides over the senate, including impeachment trials. In the special case that the president is impeached, the Chief Justice of the US presides over the trial.
U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 3, Cl. 6:"The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present."From Rules and Manual of the Senate; revised pursuant to S. Res. 479, 99-2, Aug. 16, 1986:"II. When the managers of an impeachment shall be introduced at the bar of the Senate and shall signify that they are ready to exhibit articles of impeachment against any person, the Presiding Officer of the Senate shall direct the Sergeant at Arms to make proclamation, who shall, after making proclamation, repeat the following words, viz: ''All persons are commanded to keep silence, on pain of imprisonment, while the House of Representatives is exhibiting to the Senate of the United States articles of impeachment against --- ---''; after which the articles shall be exhibited, and then the Presiding Officer of the Senate shall inform the managers that the Senate will take proper order on the subject of the impeachment, of which due notice shall be given to the House of Representatives.""IV. When the President of the United States or the Vice President of the United States, upon whom the powers and duties of the Office of President shall have devolved, shall be impeached, the Chief Justice of the United States shall preside; and in a case requiring the said Chief Justice to preside notice shall be given to him by the Presiding Officer of the Senate of the time and place fixed for the consideration of the articles of impeachment, as aforesaid, with a request to attend; and the said Chief Justice shall be administered the oath by the Presiding Officer of the Senate and shall preside over the Senate during the consideration of said articles and upon the trial of the person impeached therein."Thus, the Presiding Officer of the Senate presides over Impeachment Trials of all Officers other than the President or the Vice President as Acting President.(These are examples of rules promulgated under the Constitution).
The Supreme Court plays no role in impeachment trials. However, in the impeachment trial of the President of the United States, the Chief Justice of the United States serves as presiding officer of the Senate since it would be a conflict of interest to have the vice president presiding over a trial at which he would become President if the current President were to be found guilty.
AnswerIf there is a voting tie for the office of the Vice President, the Senate is empowered to choose the Vice President.
Under the US Constitution, the House of Representatives approves impeachment by voting to bring specific charges against the President or any other federal officeholder. Once the impeachment is approved by the House, the Senate hears the charges and votes on whether the charges are proved or not. Although the term "impeachment" has been mistakenly understood to mean complete removal from office, impeachment is actually just the formal charging by the House not the ultimate trial on the charges. State impeachment processes are generally similar, but there may be differences depending how their individual constitutions and laws are written.