On Impeachment

Corey Brettschneider is professor of political science at Brown University, where he teaches constitutional law and politics, as well as visiting professor of law at Fordham Law School. He has also been a visiting professor at Harvard Law School and the University of Chicago Law School. His recent writing has appeared in TheNew York Times, Politico, and The Washington Post. His new book is The Oath and the Office: A Guide to the Constitution for Future Presidents, which Kirkus calls "vital reading for all Americans." Brettschneider is frequently interviewed about constitutional issues onBBC, Sirius XM, and other media outlets. He is also the author of two books about constitutional law and civil liberties and numerous articles that appear in top academic journals and law reviews. His constitutional law casebook is widely used in classrooms throughout the United States. Brettschneider holds a PhD in politics from Princeton and a JD from Stanford Law School.

Series Introduction by Corey Brettschneider

Introduction by Corey Brettschneider

A Note on the Text

ON IMPEACHMENT

Part I: Origins of Impeachment
U.S. Constitution
Notes from the Debates of the Constitutional Convention (July 20, 1787)
“The Federalist No. 65,” by Alexander Hamilton (March 7, 1788)
“Second Inaugural Address,” by George Washington (March 4, 1793)
“Constitutional Grounds for Presidential Impeachment,” by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary (February 22, 1974)

Part II: Andrew Johnson
“Veto Message on Freedmen and Refugee Relief Bureau Legislation,” by Andrew Johnson (February 19, 1866)
“Veto Message on Civil Rights Legislation,” by Andrew Johnson (March 27, 1866)
“The President at Cleveland: A Characteristic Speech, His Audience Handles Him Roughly,” in the Boston Daily Advertiser (September 5, 1866)
“A Treacherous President Stood in the Way,” by Frederick Douglass (1866)
“Third Annual Message to Congress,” by Andrew Johnson (December 3, 1867)
Articles of Impeachment Against Andrew Johnson (February 24, 1868)
Closing Argument of the House Managers for Impeachment, Delivered by Representative John Bingham (May 6, 1868)
Opinion on the Impeachment Trial of Andrew Johnson, by Charles Sumner (May 16, 1868)

Part III: Richard Nixon
Transcript of a Conversation Between Richard Nixon, John Dean, and H. R. Haldeman (March 21, 1973)
“The Amenability of the President, Vice President, and Other Civil Officers to Federal Criminal Prosecution While in Office,” by the Office of Legal Counsel (September 24, 1973)
“Attached Memorandum to Leon Jaworski,” by Carl B. Feldbaum et al. (February 12, 1974)
“Speech on the Nixon Articles of Impeachment,” by Barbara Charline Jordan (July 25, 1974)
Articles of Impeachment Against Richard Nixon (July 27–30, 1974)
“Address Announcing Resignation,” by Richard Nixon (August 8, 1974)
“Granting a Pardon to Richard Nixon,” by Gerald Ford (September 8, 1974)

Part IV: Bill Clinton
“To Kenneth W. Starr, Re: Indictability of the President,” by Ronald Rotunda (May 13, 1998)
Referral from Independent Counsel Kenneth W. Starr to the House Committee on the Judiciary (September 11, 1998)
Articles of Impeachment Against William Jefferson Clinton, Passed by the House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary (December 16, 1998)
“Post-Impeachment Speech,” by Bill Clinton (December 20, 1998)
“Speech on Censure Resolution,” by Dianne Feinstein (February 12, 1999)
“A Sitting President’s Amenability to Indictment and Criminal Prosecution,” by the Office of Legal Counsel (October 16, 2000)

Unabridged Source Material