Impeachment in a Nutshell: Hamline University Professor Summarizes US Presidential Impeachment Process in a Brief Handout
Hamline University Professor of Political Science and University of Minnesota Professor of Law has produced a brief handout summarizing the history, law, and major questions and issues regarding presidential impeachment in the United States.
SAINT PAUL, Minn., Nov. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Hamline University Professor of Political Science and University of Minnesota Professor of Law has produced a brief handout summarizing the history, law, and major questions and issues regarding presidential impeachment in the United States.
Professor David Schultz, noted expert on American politics and constitutional law, has produced a brief, easy to read, summary on what impeachment is and the legal issues surrounding this process. This handout is based on a law school course he is teaching this term on impeachment.
According to Schultz: "There are a lot of misconceptions regarding what impeachment is. This handout, in part based on a class I am teaching this semester, summarizes the history of US presidential impeachments. It provides an overview of the law and legal issues, previous presidential impeachments, and a review of the major scholarship and research on this topic. The handout is an excellent tool of reference for journalists and those interested in the impeachment process."
In an eight-page hand out, Schultz provides an essential and clear discussion of both the process of how impeachment is done in the House and a trial is conducted in the Senate. It also discusses the grounds for impeachment, providing clarification and discussion especially regarding what "high crimes and misdemeanors" means. "The Constitution does not require a president to commit a real crime to be impeached, convicted, and removed from office. Instead, it requires some serious constitutional abuse of power or action. The impeachment process is not a criminal trial; it is a question about the constitutional fitness of a person to remain as president of the United States," according to Professor Schultz. "Support for that claim comes from a review of history, comments by the constitutional framers including Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, and many other legal scholars."
David Schultz is a professor of political science at Hamline University. He has taught classes on American government and constitutional law for nearly 30 years. A three-time Fulbright scholar and winner of the Leslie A. Whittington national award for excellence in public affairs teaching, he is the author/editor of more than 35 books and 200+ articles on various aspects of American politics and law including Constitutional Law in Contemporary America; Encyclopedia of American Law and Criminal Law; Encyclopedia of the First Amendment; Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court; Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties; and Encyclopedia of the United States Constitution.
SOURCE Hamline University
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