Votes, Money, and the Clinton Impeachment

This is the first in-depth examination of politics of the Clinton impeachment. While popular press treatments of the impeachment focus on partisan animosity and ethical standards, Morris looks at the impact of local constituencies on impeachment. Though most legislators sided with their constituents on the issue of impeachment, a significant number (nearly all Republican) did not. Using the most recent work on the impact of money on elections, Morris investigates the financial dynamics of the Clinton impeachment and argues that the our current system of campaign finance enabled House Republicans to impeach the President and provided them with the means to retain their majority in the House. Morris also argues that money (and the ability to raise it) play a far more important role in the American political system than previously realized, often determining the winners and losers in the most important controversies and conflicts facing the nation.