American Nero: The History of the Destruction of the Rule of Law, and Why Trump Is the Worst Offender

Richard Painter and Peter Golenbock present a clear description of rule of law--arguably the single most important principle underlying our civilization. They also describe the abuses of power that have occurred throughout our nation's history. Beginning in Puritan New England with the infamous Salem Witch Trials, American Nero makes vivid stops at The Red Scare of the 1920s, Japanese-American internment, the McCarthy Era, and, much more recently, President Trump's attempt to violate the First Amendment by banning Muslims from entering the US. While Trump is not the first offender, he is arguably the most blatant, and this unflinchingly honest and insightful work presents in devastating detail the ways in which our current president has trampled the rule of law with his attacks on the freedom of the press, the independence of the judiciary, and the autonomy of the justice department. This is not a book about right vs. left--instead, it is about the rule of law, a principle that transcends partisan politics, and how vital it is to the survival of our country. This book serves as a call-to-action, looking ahead to a brighter future for our country, one where citizens and officials alike protect our rights and honor their responsibilities.

About the Author :
Peter Golenbock, a graduate of NYU Law School, has written sixty-five books, ten of which have been New York Times bestsellers. In addition to his best sellers about sports and with sports figures, he has also written Presumed Guilty with Jose Baez, the attorney for Casey Anthony, The Chairman, written with Jim Greer, the chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, and In The Country of Brooklyn, a book about the liberal strain emanating from there. Peter Berkrot, a forty-year veteran of stage and screen, has voiced over four hundred and fifty audiobook titles, winning Earphones Awards, a 2012 Audie Award nomination, and a 2016 Audie Award. Richard Painter, a Republican, worked in the George W. Bush Administration as associate counsel to the President in the White House Counsel's office from February 2005 to July of 2007. His specialties are government ethics, business ethics, and lawyers' ethics. Since Donald Trump began his run for the presidency in 2016, Painter has been an outspoken critic of candidate Trump and President Trump, appearing frequently on such popular cable news stations as CNN and MSNBC. The author of two books, he has also appeared on NPR's All Things Considered and The Bill Maher Show. Norman Eisen, President Barack Obama's ethics chief, described Painter as "the Number one scholar in the country on government ethics." Painter, like the President, has a dedicated and faithful Twitter following.