Book Review of Arnold H. Leibowitz, An Historical-Legal Analysis of the Impeachments of Presidents Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon and William Clinton: Why the Process Went Wrong

Abstract

The author reviews the book An Historical-Legal Analysis of the Impeachments of Presidents Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, and William Clinton: Why the Process Went Wrong by Arnold H. Leibowitz. In the review, Mr. Morris first explains Leibowitz’s arguments in the book, which is that in each of the three Presidential impeachment efforts, the process was not worth the damage done not only to the Presidency, but to the body politic as well. He argues that partisan politics infected every aspect of the impeachment process in all three and that, for this and other reasons, impeachment is rarely warranted.

The review is divided into four sections. Each impeachment is given its own section, where Leibowitz’s arguments are defined and criticized. Mr. Morris discusses each and then explains why he disagrees with Leibowitz’s conclusions.

Keywords: Presidential impeachments, Johnson, Nixon, Clinton, Leibowitz