"Let's Impeach a President! It always worked before..." That was the title of this year’s Constitution Day lecture at San Joaquin College of Law on September 19st. Professor Jeffrey G. Purvis examined what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they were considering which presidential behaviors merited impeachment, and how it was applied (or not applied) in impeachment proceedings against Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. In both of those cases, it appears impeachment was driven (and ultimately diffused) by political forces, rather than a standard code of conduct. Professor Purvis suggested that the possible articles of impeachment facing the current president are much more severe, but partisan votes would rule the outcome.
More than 30 people attended the annual event. As is his habit, Professor Purvis welcomed several audience members by name, including his wife, fellow professors, an SJCL Board member, and the ghost of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
For those who missed this year’s lecture, it will be replayed on KFCF (88.1 FM) and CMAC in the near future. It will also be added to the SJCL You Tube Channel. In the past, Professor Purvis’ topics have included: "Don't Vote! Let the rich people run America, as God and the Framers intended!” “Death Panels Are Trying to Kill My Grandma” “Virtual Mayhem: Why Does the US Supreme Court Want Our Children to Become Violent Killers?” “Having Destroyed Marriage, What Are The Gays Up To Now?” “Is It Constitutional for Me to Scream at Town Hall Meetings So That No One Else Can Be Heard?” "Why Shouldn't the President be a Dictator?--How to destroy the Constitution, subvert the rule of law, and end our freedom in one easy lesson."