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Politics : Just the Facts, Ma'am: A Compendium of Liberal Fiction -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: sandintoes who wrote (20561)	11/8/2004 9:48:32 PM
From: Selectric II	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 90947

Federal judicial appointments are for life -- "good Behaviour" -- to preserve independence of the judiciary from political pressure and influence. They can't even get a pay cut; it's right in Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution! The only way to get rid of a bad judge, president, or other federal official is through Impeachment by the Senate, which in our nation's history has been employed only a handful of times: Impeachments of Federal Officials Source: Congressional Directory The procedure for the impeachment of federal officials is detailed in Article I, Section 3, of the Constitution. The Senate has sat as a court of impeachment in the following cases: William Blount, senator from Tennessee; charges dismissed for want of jurisdiction, Jan. 14, 1799. John Pickering, judge of the U.S. District Court for New Hampshire; removed from office March 12, 1804. Samuel Chase, associate justice of the Supreme Court; acquitted March 1, 1805. James H. Peck, judge of the U.S. District Court for Missouri; acquitted Jan. 31, 1831. West H. Humphreys, judge of the U.S. District Court for the middle, eastern, and western districts of Tennessee; removed from office June 26, 1862. Andrew Johnson, president of the United States; acquitted May 26, 1868. William W. Belknap, secretary of war; acquitted Aug. 1, 1876. Charles Swayne, judge of the U.S. District Court for the northern district of Florida; acquitted Feb. 27, 1905. Robert W. Archbald, associate judge, U.S. Commerce Court; removed Jan. 13, 1913. George W. English, judge of the U.S. District Court for eastern district of Illinois; resigned Nov. 4, 1926; proceedings dismissed. Harold Louderback, judge of the U.S. District Court for the northern district of California; acquitted May 24, 1933. Halsted L. Ritter, judge of the U.S. District Court for the southern district of Florida; removed from office April 17, 1936. Harry E. Claiborne, judge of the U.S. District Court for the district of Nevada; removed from office Oct. 9, 1986. Alcee L. Hastings, judge of the U.S. District Court for the southern district of Florida; removed from office Oct. 20, 1988. Walter L. Nixon, judge of the U.S. District Court for Mississippi; removed from office Nov. 3, 1989. William J. Clinton, president of the United States; acquitted Feb. 12, 1999.