A comprehensive look at the events of the 2020 election, Trump’s loss, his efforts to reverse the results of the election, the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and Trump’s second impeachment for incitement of insurrection. Addresses the reasons for the second acquittal and their implications.

Describes the early career and political advent of Donald Trump through his election to the presidency in 2016. Explores the weaknesses in system of presidential nomination and election, and of his opponent Hillary Clinton, that made his victory possible. Explores the investigations integral to story of 2016 election: the Clinton email investigation and Crossfire Hurricane, the investigation into Russian election interference and possible Trump campaign collusion with the Russians.

Traces migration of impeachment from Great Britain to British North American colonies. Summarizes impeachment proceedings in colonies before American Revolution. Catalogues the impeachment provisions of the constitutions of the newly independent American states from 1776-1788, and describes use of impeachment by the states prior to enactment of U.S. Constitution.

Describes the invention and use of impeachment by the British Parliament from 1376 through the 1780s, with particular focus on its primary purpose as a legislative counterweight to royal oppression and overreach, as well as its role in defining the limits of the British constitution.

Tells story of 1787 Constitutional Convention focusing on how and why impeachment was included in the constitutional design. Describes the unique design of American impeachment and how it differs from prior British practice. Focuses particularly on the kinds of officials who are impeachable, the mechanism of impeachment, the standard of impeachable conduct, and the consequences of impeachment.

Analyzes the acquittal of Donald Trump in his first impeachment trial, detailing the reasons given by senators who voted to convict and acquit, and advances lessons from the acquittal.

An interlude exploring Donald Trump’s monetization of the presidency and possible violations of the foreign and domestic emoluments clauses. The chapter addresses whether this conduct is impeachable and why Trump was not impeached on this ground.

Explores the ascent of Richard Nixon to the presidency during the Vietnam War era, his presidency, his abuses of presidential power, and the many aspects of the Watergate affair that spawned multiple investigations by prosecutors, Congress, and the press and finally led to Nixon’s resignation to avoid impeachment.

Details the investigation of the Ukraine scandal by the House of Representatives, the decision to impeach Trump, and the debates over the nature and scope of the articles of impeachment.

The concluding chapter quickly surveys the arc of impeachment history through the two acquittals of Donald Trump and considers whether impeachment remains a useful tool against presidential overreach and what the two acquittals of Trump suggest about the health of the American political project.

Describes the facts of Donald Trump’s effort to extort Ukraine into announcing investigations of his presidential rival Joseph Biden and how exposure of that effort led to a renewed effort to impeach him.

Catalogues the most common category of federal impeachments, that of federal judges. Describes all judicial impeachments and discusses the arguably different standard of impeachable conduct for judges.

Explains the scope and conclusions of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian election interference, Trump campaign coordination with the Russians, and allegations of presidential obstruction of the Mueller investigation. Also explains why Mueller’s report did not lead to impeachment of Donald Trump.

Describes the life, political career, and impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, with particular emphasis on the post-Civil War context of the case and the constitutional issues in the case.