What does "a narrowly channeled exception" mean in this speech? Here is a speech delivered by Congresswoman Barbara Jordan of Texas on July 25, 1974. http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/barbarajordanjudiciarystatement.htm I know it is a powerful speech with far-reaching consequences, but I find its structure a bit confusing. At the beginning of the 7th paragraph, it says: The nature of impeachment: a narrowly channeled exception to the separation-of-powers maxim. At the end of that paragraph, it says: "We need one branch to check the other," which I believe refers to the separation-of-powers maxim. If the nature of impeachment is still related to the separation-of-powers maxim, as is shown at the end of the paragraph, why did she say it is a 【narrowly channeled exception 】to the separation-of-powers maxim? What does "a narrowly channeled exception" mean in this speech?