To Convict or Not to Convict? It’s Up to the Senate

Hans von Spakovsky / September 10, 2010

When the U.S. Senate reconvenes on Sept. 13, a very rare event will begin in Room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building: an impeachment trial.

A specially-formed committee chaired by Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and vice-chaired by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), will hear testimony and receive evidence in the impeachment trial of Louisiana Judge G. Thomas Porteous, Jr.  According to the Committee, such a proceeding has occurred only 15 times in our history, while three other impeachments terminated due to the resignation of the judges in question. In fact, the last impeachment trial held in the Senate was in 1999 for someone a little more famous – Bill Clinton.

Porteous is a Clinton appointee to the Eastern District of Louisiana who is accused of engaging in the type of corruption for which Louisiana is infamous.  The House approved four articles of impeachment (H.Res. 1031) against Judge Porteous on March 11, 2010, in what was probably one of the few completely bipartisan votes of this Congress – there was not a single dissenting vote. (more…)