Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Samuel Kent
Federal Judge Samuel Kent, convicted of obstructing an investigation into allegations of sexually assaulting female employees, began his 33-month prison sentence on June 15—but decided to post-date his resignation from the bench to June 2010 so he could receive his $174,000 salary for another year while behind bars. That move ticked off members of the House of Representatives, which then proceeded to impeach Kent—in only half an hour. Not a single member of Congress rose in defense of Kent on the House floor.
The matter now moves to the Senate, which must convict Kent in order to have him kicked off his seat in the Southern District of Texas. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told the media he expects the Senate to act quickly. “Judge Kent’s behavior is so reprehensible and the facts are so clear that I would think this is something that could well be done virtually by unanimous consent or with very limited debate in the Senate,” Cornyn said.
Kent is now serving time in a Massachusetts prison that provides medical and mental health services to federal inmates. The 59-year-old judge has reportedly battled alcoholism and depression since the death of his first wife. He pled guilty to the obstruction charge in exchange for dropping the sexual assault charges brought by two women who worked with him at the courthouse in Galveston.
Kent is only the 14th federal judge to be impeached by the House since 1803. Seven of those were removed by the Senate, four were acquitted and two resigned before their Senate trial.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
House Unanimously Votes for Judge Kent's Impeachment (by Marilyn Tennissen, The Southeast Texas Record)
Texas Fed Judge Kent Continues to Disgrace Bench by Trying to Collect $174,000 Salary (by Allan Lengel, Tickle the Wire.com)
House Impeaches Imprisoned Federal Judge (by Ben Pershing, Washington Post)
List of Impeached Federal Officials (Wikipedia)
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