January 30, 2020

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm, Central Time

High Crime Constitutionalism

Northwestern University Law School, Chicago, IL

How can we make sense of the impeachment power over time? Professor Kreis argues that political history and constitutional politics reveal some insights that a president's bad acts are necessary, but not sufficient, to trigger the impeachment process. Rather, the heart of impeachment are simmering controversies over what the constitutional order should look like. In essence, impeachment is also about long-term constitutional change. Professor Kreis will look at the clashes between Congress and the executive through the administrations of John Tyler, Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump.