In 2006, we discovered that individual citizens have access to the impeachment process. We were researching methods available to initiate impeachment and found that the rules of the House of Representatives empower individual citizens to initiate the process. The relevant part of the rules is a section called the Jefferson's Manual. It is the section that speaks to the ways impeachment can be initiated. It has been ratified by each congress (including the current one), and has been updated continuously through the history of our democracy. The section covering impeachment lists the acceptable ways for bringing impeachment motions to the floor of the House.

Before the House Judiciary Committee can put together the Articles of Impeachment (a set of charges against a public official), someone must initiate the impeachment process. Most often, this occurs when members of the House pass a resolution. Another method outlined in the manual, however, is for individual citizens to submit a memorial/petition for impeachment.

After learning this information, we found precedent in an 1826 memorial by Luke Edward Lawless which had been successful in initiating the impeachment of Federal Judge James H. Peck. We then used this as a template for our "Formal Impeachment Petition." Now any citizen can fill out this petition and submit it, making it possible for Americans to do what our representatives are too often unwilling to do.