Panel urges impeachment of federal judge in Texas

[babylonsister]

Panel urges impeachment of federal judge in Texas

By SUZANNE GAMBOA
Associated Press Writer



WASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal judge in Texas who was convicted of lying about his sexual abuse of two assistants cannot continue to receive his full salary for the rest of his life, the chief of a disciplinary panel of judges ruled Wednesday.

The panel urged quick impeachment proceedings against Samuel Kent of Galveston, Texas, who has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison for lying to authorities about his assaults on the two women.

The Judicial Council of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a letter sent Wednesday to the Judicial Conference, a policy-making panel of the appellate court, that Kent has acknowledged behavior that constitutes grounds for impeachment.

At his sentencing earlier this month, the two women described nightmarish working conditions when Kent groped and molested them in his chambers.

Kent pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for lying about the incidents to federal investigators. He was sentenced to 33 months in prison, fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $6,550 in restitution to the secretary and case manager whose complaints resulted in the first sex-abuse case against a sitting federal judge.

more...

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CONVICTED_JUDGE?SITE=CONGRA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[sonias]

1. Good ruling

A sexual predator should not be rewarded with a pension for life.


Sonia

[texastoast]

2. What an idiot, Sam

He was a good-hearted judge who gave the little guy a chance (even being appointed by George the Elder), the case of Bareford v. General Dynamics being a notable exception when he shut down the case of 37 servicemen trying to recover against GD for crappy equipment sold to the taxpayers that caused their deaths. The corporations WILL have their way.

USS Stark casualties

SN Doran H. Bolduc,
Lacey, WA

RMSA Dexter D. Grissett,
Macon, GA

FCCS Robert L. Shippee,
Adams Center, NY

BM1 Braddi O. Brown,
Calera, AL

FC3 William R. Hansen,
Reading, MA

SMSA Jeffrey C. Sibley,
Metairie, LA
FC3 Jeffrey L. Calkins,
Richfield Springs, NY

GMG3 Daniel Homicki,
Elizabeth, NJ

OS3 Lee Stephens,
Pemberton, OH

SN Mark R. Caouette,
Fitchburg, MA

OSSN Kenneth D. Janusik, Jr.,
Clearwater, FL

BM2 James R. Stevens,
Visalia, CA
SN John A. Ciletta, Jr., †
Brigantine, NJ

OS3 Steven E. Kendall,
Honolulu, HI

ET3 Martin J. Supple,
Jacksonville, FL

SR Brian M. Clinefelter,
San Bernadino, CA

EMCS Stephen Kiser,
Elkhart, IN

ET1 Gregory L. Tweady,
Champaign, IL

OS3 Antonio A. Daniels,
Greeleyville, SC

SM1 Ronnie G. Lockett,
Bessemer, AL

ET3 Kelly R. Quick,
Linden, MI

ET3 Christopher DeAngelis, †
Dumont, NJ GMM1

Thomas J. MacMullen,
Darby, PA

SN Vincent L. Ulmer,
Bay Minette, AL

IC3 James S. Dunlap,
Osceola Mills, PA

EW3 Charles T. Moller,
Columbus, GA

EW3 Joseph P. Watson,
Ferndale, MI

STGSN Steven T. Erwin, †
Troy, MI

DS1 Randy E. Pierce,
Choctaw, OK

ET3 Wayne R. Weaver, II,
New Bethlehem, PA

RM2 Jerri B. Farr,
Charleston, SC

SA Jeffrei L. Phelps,
Locust Grove, VA

OSSN Terrance Weldon,
Coram, NY

QMCS Vernon T. Foster,
Jacksonville, FL

GM3 James Plonsky,
Van Nuys, CA

IC2 Lloyd A. Wilson,
Summerville, SC

SMSN Earl P. Ryals, †
Boca Raton, FL
† Buried in Arlington National Cemetery

[sonias]

3. Good hearted judge?

Are we talking about the same person? From what I've learned about the creep he was a power tripper and an abuser. Doesn't sound good hearted to me at all.


Sonia

[texastoast]

4. He's a super-ego horndog

It often runs in attorneys and gets worse once they get appointed. Megalomania sets in. And I haven't heard both sides of the story. I've seen women spar to flock to dinner with federal judges, so there might be more to it than what came out so far. He often has ruled well for legitimate plaintiff cases over his tenure. I sure hope we get someone who is as good and fair a jurist. Stupid ego-trippers who have a lot to offer in many ways and letting their dicks think for them. Just makes me mad as hell. Makes me think of John Edwards. Whatever were they thinking?? How do they perceive that is power? I see it as such weakness, given their station.

Idiots.

[sonias]

5. Congress begins impeachment of Judge Kent

Houston Chronicle 6/04/09
Congress begins impeachment of Judge Kent
(snip)

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, the only woman on the 12-member impeachment panel, personally apologized to McBroom and Wilkerson on behalf of the federal government.
(snip)

Neither Kent nor his lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, took part in the proceedings. Kent’s written statement blamed his behavior on alcoholism, an unspecified personality flaw and the sense of loss he suffered during and after the death of his first wife from brain cancer.
(snip)

(snip)
Members of the panel, including Reps. Charles Gonzalez, D-San Antonio, and Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, vowed to develop and approve at least one article of impeachment within a matter of weeks to set the stage for a Senate trial and Kent’s removal from office before the August congressional recess.
Congress alone has authority to impeach and remove a federal judge from the bench, under the U.S. Constitution.:kick:

Sonia