Senate to decide fate of impeached Louisiana judge

By Ben Evans

Associated Press

Published: Wednesday, Dec. 8 2010 1:07 a.m. MST

Federal Judge Judge Thomas Porteous heads to the Senate Chamber, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010, where his impeachment trial is proceeding. The Senate is set to decide Wednesday, Dec. 8, whether to convict the Louisiana judge of corruption allegations brought by the House in the first impeachment trial since the 1999 case against former President Bill Clinton.

Harry Hamburg, Associated Press

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Summary

The Senate is set to decide whether to convict a Louisiana judge of corruption allegations brought by the House in the first impeachment trial since the 1999 case against former President Bill Clinton.

WASHINGTON — The Senate is set to decide whether to convict a Louisiana judge of corruption allegations brought by the House in the first impeachment trial since the 1999 case against former President Bill Clinton.

U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Porteous was unanimously impeached by the House in March on four articles alleging that he took money and favors, filed for bankruptcy under a false name and lied to Congress during his judicial confirmation.

Votes on each article are planned Wednesday morning. A conviction on any one would make him the eighth federal judge to be removed from office. A two-thirds vote is required.

Porteous' attorneys argue that his behavior, while troubling, doesn't merit impeachment.

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