by John Hart Ely



Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher
John Hart Ely is a leading contemporary writer on political theory from
the standpoint of American constitutional law. This collection covers a
full range of topics of constitutional interpretation: federalism,
separation of powers, freedom of expression, religious freedom, criminal
procedure, racial discrimination, "substantive due process," and honesty
in government. Organized under these heads and linked by the author's
witty explanatory and autobiographical remarks, the essays and other
documentsmany previously unpublished in any forumrange chronologically
over the past three decades, from memoranda he wrote as a student working
with lead counsel Abe Fortas on the landmark case of Gideon v. Wainwright
to a comment on the constitutional implications of the O. J. Simpson
verdict.

Before beginning his academic career, Ely was the junior member of the
Warren Commission's sixteenlawyer staff, Chief Justice Earl Warren's law
clerk, and a public defender in San Diego; and during the Ford
Administration he took time off to serve as the thirdranking official of
the U.S. Department of Transportation. This book reflects his various
experience. It comments on many of the past quarter century's "hot button"
issuesincluding abortion, affirmative action, antiCommunist legislation,
busing, flag burning, governmental display of nativity scenes, the Nixon
impeachment, "trial by newspaper," the Clarence ThomasAnita Hill
contretemps, congressionally unauthorized war in the Persian Gulf and
Bosnia, and whether the Warren Commission Report should be officially
reexamined.

Product Description:

John Hart Ely is a leading contemporary writer on political theory from
the standpoint of American constitutional law. This collection covers a
full range of topics of constitutional interpretation: federalism,
separation of powers, freedom of expression, religious freedom, criminal
procedure, racial discrimination, "substantive due process," and honesty
in government. Organized under these heads and linked by the author's
witty explanatory and autobiographical remarks, the essays and other
documents--many previously unpublished in any forum--range chronologically
over the past three decades, from memoranda he wrote as a student working
with lead counsel Abe Fortas on the landmark case of Gideon v. Wainwright
to a comment on the constitutional implications of the O. J. Simpson
verdict. Before beginning his academic career, Ely was the junior member
of the Warren Commission's sixteen-lawyer staff, Chief Justice Earl
Warren's law clerk, and a public defender in San Diego; and during the
Ford Administration he took time off to serve as the third-ranking
official of the U.S. Department of Transportation. This book reflects his
various experience. It comments on many of the past quarter century's "hot
button" issues--including abortion, affirmative action, anti-Communist
legislation, busing, flag burning, governmental display of nativity
scenes, the Nixon impeachment, "trial by newspaper," the Clarence
Thomas-Anita Hill contretemps, congressionally unauthorized war in the
Persian Gulf and Bosnia, and whether the Warren Commission Report should
be officially reexamined.

Product Details

Paperback: 510 pages
Publisher: Princeton University Press (August 5, 1996)
ISBN: 0691025533