The Constitution Demands It

The Case for the Impeachment of Donald Trump

Ron Fein, John Bonifaz, and Ben Clements

With a Foreword by John Nichols

“This book lays out the case for impeachment against Donald Trump in stark terms. If you are troubled about Trump’s lawlessness, I think it is your responsibility as a concerned citizen to read this book and to learn how best to protect our democracy.” —Tom Steyer, founder of Need to Impeach

The reasons Donald Trump must be impeached—as per the Founding Fathers—and what you can do to help make that happen

Three veteran constitutional attorneys say there’s no way around it: The Constitution demands that Donald Trump must be impeached.

And in clear language using compelling logic rooted firmly in the Constitution, they detail why the time to start is now — not in the indefinite future after criminal investigations have ended. In fact, much of Trump’s impeachable conduct lies outside the scope of ongoing federal criminal investigations.

Citing charges such as accepting illegal payments from foreign governments, using government agencies to persecute political enemies, obstructing justice, abusing the pardon power, and undermining freedom of the press, they provide the factual and legal basis for eight articles of impeachment.

In short, they argue, abuses threatening our constitutional democracy should be dealt with by the remedy that the Constitution provides for a lawless, authoritarian president: impeachment. And an informed citizenry should be part of the process.

After all, they say, impeachment is not a constitutional crisis — impeachment is the cure for a constitutional crisis.

RON FEIN, Legal Director for Free Speech For People, is a constitutional lawyer who previously served as Assistant Regional Counsel in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where he received the National Gold Medal for Exceptional Service. He appears regularly on television and in the op-ed pages of the Washington Post, commenting on constitutional matters.

JOHN BONIFAZ is the co-Founder and President of Free Speech For People. He previously served as the Executive Director and General Counsel of the National Voting Rights Institute, and as the Legal Director of Voter Action, a national election integrity organization. A distinguished attorney, he has been at the forefront of key voting rights battles across the country for more than two decades, and is a winner of a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship Award.

BEN CLEMENTS is the Chair of the Board of Directors of Free Speech For People and Chair of its Legal Committee. He is also a founding partner of the Boston law firm, Clements & Pineault, LLP. His clients have included state and federal governments, candidates for state and federal office, senior public officials, large corporations, and small businesses. He is a former federal prosecutor and former Chief Legal Counsel to Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.

“Finally, a book about impeachment that lays out the facts about what President Donald Trump has done, the legal and constitutional principles he’s violated, and a clear case for why Congress should start impeachment hearings right away. You can read this book in one sitting and you’ll be ready to answer tired arguments for delay and diversion with the facts and the Constitution.” —Alyssa Milano

“In a time when so much of political discourse has degenerated to tweets and Nazi slogans, it’s a relief to see a straightforward, coherent and compelling delineation of the case for impeachment. The only way to return our country to a semblance of normalcy is to impeach the kleptocrat-in-chief, and this book is exactly the guide we need to show us how.” —Ayelet Waldman

“Donald J. Trump is probably the most corrupt and inept U.S. president in modern history. He has violated the Constitution and this nation’s laws with impunity. His impeachable offenses are legion and are expertly detailed in this book. It is a must-read for every voter and citizen interested in good government.” —Montana Supreme Court Justice (ret.) James C. Nelson

“Our democracy is imperiled. Lawlessness, corruption, and cruelty emanate from Washington, DC. Many of our fellow Americans and citizens of the world feel helpless as we careen from crisis to crisis. The founding fathers—though flawed beings who allowed slavery and the mistreatment of women, Native Americans, and those without wealth to flourish—nonetheless provided us with an effective tool to combat the excesses of the current administration. The Constitution Demands It: The Case for the Impeachment of Donald Trump lays out the legal framework for impeachment. There are those who feel that impeachment is too radical a notion. Each day that we fail to push back as powerfully as we are able is a day closer to an authoritarian takeover of our nation. The country you save may be your own.” —Eva Paterson, Civil Rights Attorney

“That we are debating the impeachability of Donald Trump at all is a sign of the towering insanity of our age. We are lucky to have Ron Fein, John Bonifaz, and Ben Clements to show us the undeniable grounds for impeachment.” —Dave Eggers, author of The Circle