House impeaches U.S. judge in New Orleans for corruption

Mar 11, 2010

House impeaches U.S. judge in New Orleans for alleged corruption

04:18 PM

The U.S. House unanimously approved four articles of impeachment today against Porteous, 63, who sits on the District Court for Eastern Louisiana. The Senate must hold a trial to either convict or acquit him. A conviction requires a two-thirds vote; only seven federal judges have ever been removed from the bench through impeachment.

Porteous has not been charged criminally because the statute of limitation expired. He was nominated by President Clinton and confirmed by the Senate in 1994.

Porteous will continue to receive his $174,000 federal judicial salary but has been barred from hearing cases until September. He could resume hearing cases then, if he is acquitted.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune has the details and summaries of the four articles of impeachment.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... rruption/1