October 1, 2019 | Kenneth Best - UConn Communications

Talking Impeachment, Politics, and Elections with David Yalof

American politics expert David Yalof talks about the politics of impeachment throughout American history.

A view of the US Capitol building on a gray and stormy day

As talk of impeachment dominates Washington, a look at earlier presidential controversies helps provide perspective. (Photo by Tom Brenner/Getty Images)

With the opening of an impeachment inquiry focused on President Donald J. Trump’s conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding possible assistance in investigating a political rival, UConn Today spoke with David A. Yalof, professor and department head in political science, to examine the impeachment process under the U.S. Constitution.

Yalof specializes in constitutional law, judicial politics, and executive branch politics, and is the author of “Prosecution Among Friends: Presidents, Attorneys General, and Executive Branch Wrongdoing” (College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 2012).

“Prosecution Among Friends” examines the cases of executive branch corruption—real or alleged—that occurred over the course of four decades beginning with the Nixon administration and the Watergate scandal, extending up through the second Bush administration. In this audio interview, Yalof says he was primarily focused on the position of U.S. Attorney General, the individual who leads the Department of Justice, his or her relationship with the President of the United States, and the independence of the Department of Justice when pursuing Executive Branch corruption.