Ethics

House Votes to Impeach Judge Kent

By Ed Brayton

The House voted unanimously to impeach Judge Samuel Kent, the federal district judge from Texas who plead guilty to obstruction of justice in two sexual abuse cases and is currently serving time in prison. Kent has refused to resign because he wants to receive his pension, something the House doesn't want him to do.

"This is the first time a federal judge has been convicted of a felony, has reported to prison, and has still not resigned from his office. This shows how deep Judge Kent's audacity truly runs," said Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), the top Republican on a bipartisan task force that recommended Kent's impeachment.

The Senate will now decide whether to impeach Kent and remove him from office, which they almost certainly will do.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on June 21, 2009 (boomark / email).