US House committee approves impeachment probe of district judge News
US House committee approves impeachment probe of district judge

[JURIST] The US House Judiciary Committee [official website] voted Wednesday to open an impeachment investigation of US District Judge Thomas Porteous [official profile] of the Eastern District of Louisiana [official website], who is accused of perjury and accepting bribes from lawyers. The committee unanimously approved a resolution [PDF text] creating a task force to conduct the inquiry, which is the first of a sitting federal judge in nearly 20 years. The resolution authorizes the task force to take affidavits and depositions, issue subpoenas and hire staff. In a press release [text], committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) [official profile] said:

We take it very seriously when the governing body of the Judiciary sends us a referral for impeachment. Upon review, we believe this matter merits a full investigation.

The Judicial Conference of the United States [official website], the governing body of the US judiciary, recommended [PDF text] in June that the House consider impeachment. AP has more. From New Orleans, the Times-Picayune has local coverage.

After an investigation [report text, PDF] by a special committee, the Judicial Conference found "substantial evidence" that Porteous had signed false financial disclosure forms, falsified statements in a personal bankruptcy proceeding, made false representations to secure a bank loan, and violated criminal laws and ethical rules [text] by soliciting and receiving "cash and other things of value" from lawyers in a bench trial over which he was presiding. Porteous' decision in that case, In re Liljeberg enters, Inc. v. Lifemark Hospitals, Inc., was later partially reversed [opinion, PDF] by the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit [official website; JURIST news archive], which last week publicly reprimanded Porteous [PDF text]. The US Constitution gives the House the power to impeach [academic backgrounder] "all civil Officers of the United States" on suspicion of "high Crimes and Misdemeanors." Conviction and removal from office requires a two-thirds vote of the US Senate. Thirteen federal judges have been impeached [FJC backgrounder], of which seven have been convicted.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.