Thomas Porteous - Wikipedia, the
free encyclopedia
Judge G Thomas
Porteous Jr (born 1946) is a United States District Judge for
Louisiana, and had been a judge of the Louisiana Judicial District
Court from 1984 before being appointed to the U.S. District Court in
1994 by President Bill Clinton. . . . In 2001, Judge Porteous filed
for bankruptcy, which led to revelations in the press about his
private life, specifically the fact that he was alleged to have had
close ties with local bail bond magnate Louis Marcotte III, at the
center of a corruption probe, which has more recently led to his
being the subject of investigation himself by federal investigators.
In May 2006, Porteous, beset by the recent loss of his wife and
still under investigation by a federal grand jury, was granted
temporary medical leave and began a six-month furlough from the
federal bench.
<more>
January 2011
Porteous impeachment: a first
In
no prior instance has anyone been impeached, much less convicted,
for conduct occurring prior to assuming federal office.
Alan I.
Baron and Michael J. Gerhardt, The National Law Journal
01-17-11 --
With near unanimity and no fanfare, the Senate made history last
month. Senators from both parties came together on Dec. 8, 2010, to
vote overwhelmingly to convict and remove from office G. Thomas
Porteous, a federal district judge in Louisiana. This was only the
eighth time that the Senate removed a federal judge and only the
third time it disqualified someone from holding another federal
office. Three of the impeachment articles approved unanimously by
the House earlier this year, and on which the Senate convicted
Porteous, included his misconduct as a federal judge. The fourth
article was new in the annals of impeachment. . . . Article IV
alleged that Porteous lied to the FBI and the Senate during their
investigations for his confirmation by failing to disclose and
making false statements regarding his corrupt relationships as a
state court judge with various lawyers and bail bondsmen. There have
been only 18 impeachments in American history, 15 of which involved
federal judges. In no prior instance has anyone been impeached, much
less convicted, for conduct occurring prior to assuming federal
office. Porteous' removal thus breaks new constitutional ground,
with significant implications for the federal impeachment and
appointments processes.
Thomas Porteous, impeached
federal judge, has lost his law license
By
Richard Rainey, The Times-Picayune
01-14-11 --
The law career of Thomas Porteous, the eighth federal judge to be
convicted by the U.S. Senate under articles of impeachment, is over
in Louisiana. . . . The state Supreme Court officially acknowledged
Thursday the loss of Porteous' state attorney license, said Charles
Plattsmier, chief disciplinary counsel for the Louisiana Attorney
Disciplinary Board. . . . "It's a permanent resignation that he
qualifies the he not only resign as a lawyer here, but that he
promise not to come back again," Plattsmier said. . . . Porteous was
only licensed in Louisiana, but his conviction would have barred him
from practicing anywhere in the country, Plattsmier said.
December 2010
Senate votes to remove Judge Thomas Porteous from office
By Bruce
Alpert and Jonathan Tilove, The Times-Picayune
12-08-10 --
The U.S. Senate this morning approved all four articles of
impeachment against New Orleans federal Judge Thomas Porteous,
removing him from his lifetime seat on the federal bench and denying
him his $174,000 annual pension. . . . With the 96-0 vote on Article
1, Porteous became the eighth federal judge to be convicted by the
Senate and removed from office through the impeachment process. . .
. Aside from losing his job and his pension, there is no other
penalty, fine or imprisonment that attaches to his conviction.
Porteous declined comment after the
vote.
Senators put aside bickering for solemn duty in Porteous impeachment
case
Jonathan
Tilove , NOLA.com
12-08-10 --
New Orleans federal Judge Thomas Porteous stepped deeper into the
annals of American history Tuesday, becoming only the 19th person to
be tried by the Senate for "treason, bribery and other high crimes
and misdemeanors." . . . If convicted, he will become only the
eighth of those individuals -- all federal judges -- to be removed
from office. . . . It is among the rarest, if most ignoble
distinctions, American democracy can bestow on a public servant. . .
. Statistically speaking, an American parent can far more
confidently -- and happily -- expect a child to grow up to be
president of the United States than to be impeached by the House and
convicted by the Senate. . . . But for all the rarefied ritual of
what the Senate considers among its most solemn responsibilities,
the actual event Tuesday was sorely lacking in the kind of
historical drama played out before what Porteous' lawyer Jonathan
Turley described as "the world's most unique jury."
November 2010
Judge Thomas Porteous' attorneys want one last argument before
Senate impeachment vote
Bruce
Alpert, Times-Picayune
11-11-10 --
Attorneys for New Orleans federal Judge Thomas Porteous are asking
the Senate to give them sufficient time before a decisive vote in
the next few weeks to present arguments on why the judge's removal
from office "could substantially alter" more than two centuries of
legal precedent. . . . The brief from Porteous' attorneys filed
recently makes the case that while a Senate Impeachment Trial
Committee heard more than 30 hours of testimony from 27 witnesses,
the full Senate should allow sufficient time for final arguments on
a case they say raises substantial legal issues. . . . The five
House impeachment managers used their "post trial" brief filed
Thursday to argue that Porteous' conduct, including his acceptance
of gifts from lawyers and others with business before him, was so
egregious to warrant that he become the eighth judge in history to
be removed by a Senate vote.
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September 2010
With friends like Judge Porteous', who needs enemies?
James
Gill, Times-Picayune of New Orleans
09-26-10 --
As a succession of witnesses cooked federal Judge Thomas Porteous'
goose at his impeachment trial, you had to keep reminding yourself
they had been called in his defense. . . . The House members
handling the prosecution had put on some pretty damning testimony of
their own, but it was hardly necessary. Each time a Porteous pal
took the stand to vouch for him, his depravity was thrown into even
sharper relief. . . . Porteous had some pretty fancy mouthpieces,
led by George Washington University professor Jonathan Turley, who
admittedly faced a daunting task. But they made it even more so. The
defense trial tactics defied understanding. How could such a
distinguished intellect as Turley call such a shady bunch of bozos
to the stand? . . . Surely someone could have pointed out that
relying on Ronnie Bodenheimer was stark raving mad. Perhaps the idea
was that, since part of the rap against Porteous is that he was a
corrupt state judge before his elevation to the federal bench, he
wouldn't look so bad if an even more corrupt ex-state judge could be
produced.
Judge Thomas Porteous and the Judicial 'Devil's Den' from
Whence He Came
By
Barbara Ann Jackson, News Blaze Op-Ed Contributor
09-22-10 --
The impeachment trial of federal Judge Thomas Porteous, is a once in
a lifetime chance for urgently-needed judicial reforms to happen in
Louisiana. . . . There is massive, inherent legal corruption in the
judicial system, taking place in Louisiana, in what I call the
"Devil's Den." This corruption has terrible consequences for
citizens, and for the legal system itself. . . . I am alarmed that,
even after exposure of irrefutable facts and truths at Porteous'
impeachment trial, scandalous behavior will continue because
Porteous is not the only problem - just the most conspicuous
culprit. . . . The sustained Louisiana judicial decadence is now
acutely displayed at this historical Congressional hearing, which
the entire world can see for itself on C-Span. Facts, evidence, and
testimonies therein solidify my convictions that the purpose of
Louisiana courtrooms has very little to do with delivering justice.
Impeachment hearings end for federal judge
The
fate of District Judge G. Thomas Porteous — who ran up gambling
debts, accepted gifts and filed for bankruptcy under a false name —
will likely be decided in November, a senator says.
By David
G. Savage, Tribune Washington Bureau, The Los Angeles Times
09-21-10 --
Only seven federal judges in American history have been impeached
and removed from office -- for offenses that include being
intoxicated on the bench and waging war against the United States
during the Civil War. . . . On Tuesday, a special Senate impeachment
committee finished five days of testimony to decide whether to add
to the list a judge from New Orleans who ran up gambling debts,
filed for bankruptcy under a false name and accepted gifts from
lawyers and friends. . . . He has not been criminally charged. But
if the full Senate votes to remove him from office, U.S. District
Judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr. — called "G.T. Ortous" in his
bankruptcy filing — will lose his $174,000 yearly salary and
pension. . . . Though he offered to retire next year if he could
keep his pension, Porteous has refused to resign, even after being
stripped of his legal duties by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of
Appeals.
Law professor testified as ethics expert in judicial impeachment
Indiana
University
09-20-10 --
A Senate committee that is presiding over the impeachment trial of
U.S. District Judge Thomas G. Porteous called Indiana University
Maurer School of Law Professor Charles G. Geyh to testify as a
witness on Sept. 15. . . . Geyh, the John F. Kimberling Professor of
Law, testified as an expert witness in the Senate Impeachment Trial
Committee's proceedings on four articles of impeachment against the
U.S. District Court judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Appointed in 1994, Porteous has been accused of declining to
disqualify himself from a case in which he solicited money from a
lawyer with whom he had a longstanding, corrupt relationship; giving
bail bondsmen preferential treatment in exchange for meals, trips
and services; perjuring himself in his bankruptcy proceeding; and
lying under oath during his Senate confirmation proceedings.
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Lap dance, bucket of shrimp, 'Gretna mentality' discussed in
Porteous impeachment hearings
Bruce
Alpert, Times-Picayune
09-19-10 --
During the first four days of the
Judge Thomas Porteous
impeachment trial, senators heard scholarly discussions about the
intentions of the Founding Fathers on removing unfit federal
officials and detailed discourse about arcane rules of federal
bankruptcy law. . . . They also listened as the judge's son was
asked whether he received a lap dance during a Las Vegas bachelor
party, which was attended by his father's lawyer friends. For the
record, Timothy Porteous, 37, said he did and the woman who became
his wife was OK with it. . . . Other testimony included the
revelation that when employees for the Jefferson Parish firm Bail
Bonds Unlimited returned the then-Jefferson Parish judge's cars,
after providing free repairs, they would sometimes leave a bucket of
shrimp and Absolut vodka on the front seat for good measure.
Porteous, 63, a federal judge in New Orleans, is accused of making
bail decisions that benefited Bail Bonds Unlimited.
Lawyers in Judge's Impeachment Mount Defense
Attorneys for Porteous Say Accepting Money and Other Favors Was Just
Part of the Culture of La. Legal Community
(AP) CBS
News
09-17-10 --
Defense attorneys for a Louisiana judge facing an impeachment trial
in Congress began trying to chip away at the case against him,
arguing that money and other favors he accepted were simply part of
the culture of a tight-knit New Orleans-area legal community. . . .
After three days laying out its case, the House team prosecuting
U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Porteous rested Wednesday evening,
leaving Porteous' attorneys to begin calling their own witnesses. .
. . Their first was Porteous' son, Timothy Porteous, who said two
lawyers gave the judge thousands of dollars in cash over the years
only because they were close family friends who once practiced law
together. . . . Another prosecution witness, Dane Ciolino, a Loyola
University law professor specializing in judicial ethics, said that
Louisiana standards for judges accepting meals and gifts from
lawyers were loose and unclear until recent revisions to the law.
'Louisiana way' on full display at Judge Thomas Porteous' trial:
Stephanie Grace
Stephanie Grace, The Times-Picayune
09-16-10 --
U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, one of five House members prosecuting New
Orleans federal Judge Thomas Porteous, predicted at the outset of
the impeachment proceedings that the judge would defend himself
against charges that he compromised his office back when he was a
state judge by invoking Louisiana's sordid political reputation. . .
. "After all, senators," Schiff said he expected Porteous' team to
say, "'It's New Orleans. They all do it, and if you're going to
impeach judges in New Orleans for this sort of stuff, then you'll
have to impeach all of them.'" . . . Porteous' lawyers have just
launched their defense, so it's too soon to say whether Schiff's
prediction is accurate. . . . But the California Democrat was right
about one thing: From the moment the impeachment trial opened this
week, the so-called Louisiana way has been on full display. . . . As
a district judge in Jefferson Parish, Porteous grew accustomed to
being supported in a certain lifestyle, a parade of prosecution
witnesses said.
Judge Thomas Porteous was vulnerable to blackmail, Louis
Marcotte says
Bruce
Alpert, Times-Picayune
09-14-10 --
Even if the free lunches, travel and car repairs provided by a
Gretna bail bond company weren't enough to influence Judge Thomas
Porteous, there was another compelling reason for him to help the
firm, according to testimony Tuesday at his impeachment trial. . . .
Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., one of five House members serving as
prosecutors for the trial of the New Orleans federal judge, asked
Louis Marcotte, the executive at Bail Bonds Unlimited, whether it
was true he was in a position "to destroy" Porteous with the threat
of reporting the gifts to the FBI. . . . "Yes, I was," said Marcotte,
though he testified he didn't report any of the gifts when he was
interviewed by the FBI about Porteous' nomination to the federal
bench by President Bill Clinton in 1994.
Impeachment trial of federal judge gets underway in U.S. Senate
By the
CNN Wire Staff
09-13-10 --
The U.S. Senate on Monday begins the impeachment trial of federal
judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr. -- the first such trial since the
impeachment of former President Bill Clinton in 1999. . . . The
Senate Impeachment Trial Committee will submit its summary to the
full Senate, which is expected to vote later this year. The judge is
accused of corruption and accepting kickbacks, as well as lying
about his past to the Senate and FBI regarding his nomination to the
federal bench. . . . In March, the House of Representatives voted
unanimously to impeach Porteous, making him the nation's 15th
federal judge ever impeached. . . . Porteous is from the U.S.
District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. . . . Last
year, the House Judiciary Committee Task Force on Judicial
Impeachment held evidentiary hearings that led to unanimous approval
of the four articles of impeachment, citing evidence that Porteous
"intentionally made material false statements and representations
under penalty of perjury, engaged in a corrupt kickback scheme,
solicited and accepted unlawful gifts, and intentionally misled the
Senate during his confirmation proceedings," a House release said.
Senate Prepares for Trial of Federal Judge
Proceedings would be first
against a jurist in 21 years
David Ingram, The National Law Journal
09-08-10 --
One of the nation's least used courts is opening for business. .
. . Next week, a special U.S. Senate committee is scheduled to
begin the impeachment trial of G. Thomas Porteous Jr. The rarely
held proceeding will determine the future of the New Orleans
federal district judge who is accused of decades of corruption,
including an alleged kickback scheme with a law firm. . . . The
trial will be the Senate's first since 1999, when the presidency
of Bill Clinton hung in the balance, and the first for a member
of the judiciary since 1989. The House of Representatives has
impeached or considered impeaching other judges since then, but
they resigned. . . . The case against Porteous was more than two
years in the making, delayed by the impeachment of another judge
and by client conflicts among the lawyers. It will present some
unusual questions for the senators who serve as judges and
jurors, including whether a judge can be removed for conduct
that occurred before he took the bench. . . . The trial will
take place amid two other ethics proceedings in Congress --
those of Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., and Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.
-- putting an unusually bright spotlight on the ethics of
federal officials.
August 2010
Lawyers Battle Over Evidence
in Impeached Judge's Trial
David Ingram, The National Law Journal
08-05-10 --
Lawyers for impeached Judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr. of the U.S.
District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana asked a
special U.S. Senate committee today not to allow certain
evidence in the judge's upcoming trial. . . . The argument came
on the same day a federal judge in Washington
declined
to intervene in the Senate proceedings, and about a month before
the Senate Impeachment Trial Committee is scheduled to begin its
week-long trial of Porteous on four articles of impeachment. . .
. In a pre-trial hearing, Jonathan Turley, a George Washington
University law professor who is leading Porteous’ defense, asked
the committee not to admit two sets of evidence: testimony that
Porteous gave to a 5th Circuit investigative committee; and
transcripts and records from prior proceedings before the 5th
Circuit and the U.S. House of Representatives.
July 2010
Immunity Granted for Lawyers to Testify Against Impeached Judge
The
BLT: Blog of Legal Times
07-28-10 --
A federal judge in Washington has granted immunity to two
Louisiana lawyers ahead of their expected testimony before the
U.S. Senate Impeachment Trial Committee. . . . Members of the
Senate committee requested the grants of immunity as they gather
evidence about impeached U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Porteous
Jr. A trial on whether to remove Porteous, who sits in the
Eastern District of Louisiana, is set to begin as soon as
September. . . . The two lawyers, Jacob Amato Jr. and Robert
Creely, practiced before Porteous in both state and federal
court, according to
congressional
testimony and documents from a judicial ethics
inquiry into the judge. Amato and Creely told investigators that
they gave Porteous cash payments at the judge’s request and that
Creely took Porteous on fishing trips for free, according to the
testimony and documents.
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April 2010
McCaskill to chair Senate
impeachment trial of federal judge
Malia Rulon • Gannett Washington Bureau
04-14-10 --
Sen. Claire McCaskill today will kick off the impeachment trial
of a Louisiana judge accused of taking money, expensive meals
and other gifts from lawyers and others doing business before
him. . . . The impeachment hearing against G. Thomas Porteous
Jr., U.S. District Court judge for the Eastern District of
Louisiana, is only the fifth such trial in the last two decades.
. . . McCaskill, D-Mo., will chair the 12-member bipartisan
committee charged with holding the trial, which is expected to
last four months. . . . "It's a serious responsibility, and we
are going to treat it as such," McCaskill said Monday,
describing her role in the proceedings as an "honor." . . .
"It's quite an undertaking. It's a full-blown evidentiary
proceeding," she said.
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March 2010
Judge Thomas Porteous impeachment case moving to Senate today
By
Bruce Alpert, Times-Picayune
03-17-10 --
Less than
a week after the House unanimously approved four articles of
impeachment against New Orleans federal
Judge Thomas Porteous, the Senate is starting the
process for a trial that could lead to his removal from the
$174,000-a-year job. . . . The Senate will receive the charges
today from the five House impeachment managers. All senators
present will take an oath to impartially consider the
allegations against Porteous and vote on a resolution to appoint
a 12-member committee, equally divided between Democrats and
Republicans, to conduct the trial. The committee can make
recommendations, but it will take a vote of two-thirds of the
Senate to remove Porteous from office.
Charging Corruption, House Impeaches Federal Judge
David Ingram, The National Law Journal
03-12-10 --
The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to adopt four
articles of impeachment against U.S. District Judge G. Thomas
Porteous Jr., wrapping up a wide-ranging investigation into
allegations that Porteous took cash and gifts from lawyers and
lied in his own bankruptcy case. . . . With four unanimous
votes, the stage is set for a trial in the Senate unless
Porteous resigns from his seat in the Eastern District of
Louisiana. He has so far
declined to do so, despite high-profile
investigations by the House, the 5th Circuit Judicial Council
and the Department of Justice. . . . Though an impeachment of a
federal judge is extremely rare, this is the second in as many
years. U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent of the Southern District
of Texas resigned last year shortly after
the House impeached him for obstructing an
investigation into allegations of sexual harassment. Kent had
pleaded guilty to the charge in federal court but resigned only
after the Senate began preparing for a trial.
House may impeach federal judge
By
Jake Sherman, Politico
03-09-10 --
The House this week will consider the impeachment of a federal
judge accused of accepting money from lawyers arguing cases
before him. . . . G. Thomas Porteous is accused of signing false
financial disclosure forms in an attempt to conceal “cash and
things of value that he solicited and received from lawyers
appearing in litigation before him.” . . . The House Judiciary
Committee on Jan. 21 approved four counts of "high crimes and
misdemeanors" against the New Orleans-based judge, who was
appointed by former President Bill Clinton in 1994 for the
federal bench in eastern Louisiana. . . . The impeachment
resolution, which will likely hit the House floor late this
week, said that Porteous “engaged in a pattern of conduct that
is incompatible with the trust and confidence placed in him as a
federal judge.” If the House votes to impeach Porteous, his case
would head to the Senate for a trial.
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January 2010
House Committee Adopts Articles of Impeachment Against La.
Federal Judge
David Ingram, The National Law Journal
01-27-10 --
The House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously on Wednesday to
adopt two articles of impeachment against
U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr., accusing
the judge of misconduct over three decades. It was poised to
adopt two additional articles after a late-morning break. . . .
Porteous, who has refused to resign, would be the eighth federal
judge ever removed from the bench if the full House of
Representatives impeaches him and the Senate convicts him. He
has been a judge in the Eastern District of Louisiana since 1994
but is not currently hearing cases because of the ethics
questions surrounding him. . . . This is the second time in as
many years that the House has taken action against a federal
judge. In June, the House
impeached U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent of the
Southern District of Texas, who had pleaded guilty to
obstructing an investigation into allegations of sexual
harassment. It was the first impeachment of a federal judge
since 1989. Kent resigned before the Senate began his trial.
Facing Impeachment, Federal Judge Mounts His Defense
David Ingram, The National Law Journal
01-25-10 --
On Thursday, a task force of the U.S. House of Representatives
voted unanimously in favor of four articles of
impeachment against a federal judge from Louisiana. How does the
judge, G. Thomas Porteous Jr., plan to head off impeachment and
removal from office by the Senate? . . . His lawyer, Richard
Westling of the Washington office of Ober, Kaler, Grimes &
Shriver, is outlining a defense based on two major points:
first, that much of what Porteous is accused of doing happened
before he was on the federal bench, and second, that the U.S.
Department of Justice chose not to prosecute Porteous for what
he has done. . . . The debate will heat up in the next several
weeks, as the House Judiciary Committee and then the House
itself consider whether to adopt the four articles of
impeachment. Lawmakers from both political parties say Porteous
is unfit to serve. Click
here (PDF) to read the articles.
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December 2009
Judge faces impeachment case
House hears of cash gifts,
falling prey to influence
Ben
Evans, Associated Press, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
12-21-09 --
It’s not the lifestyle of a typical federal judge: five or six
vodka cocktails during lunch; gambling with borrowed money;
bankruptcy under a phony name, and cash, trips or home repairs
from lawyers and a bail bondsman with business before his court.
. . . Witnesses in the congressional impeachment case against
U.S. District Court Judge G. Thomas Porteous paint a jarring
portrait of the former Louisiana state judge who was appointed
to the federal bench in 1994 by President Bill Clinton. . . . As
Congress wrapped up several weeks of evidence-gathering hearings
last week, legal experts who testified before a House task force
suggested Porteous is a clear candidate to become just the
eighth federal judge in U.S. history to be impeached and
convicted by Congress. Lawmakers appear poised to take their
advice and bring charges early next year, setting up a historic
trial in the Senate.
Impeachment appears imminent for federal judge
Corruption found during FBI
state probe
By Ben Evans Associated Press,
The Washington Times
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U.S. District Judge
Thomas Porteous |
12-19-09 --
It's not the lifestyle of a typical federal judge: Five or six
vodka cocktails during lunch; gambling with borrowed money;
bankruptcy under a phony name; cash, trips or home repairs from
lawyers; and a bail bondsman with business before his court. . .
. Witnesses in the congressional impeachment case against U.S.
District Court Judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr. paint a jarring
portrait of the former Louisiana state judge appointed to the
federal bench in 1994 by President Clinton. . . . As Congress
wrapped up several weeks of evidence-gathering hearings this
week, legal experts who testified before a House task force
suggested Judge Porteous is a clear candidate to become just the
eighth federal judge in U.S. history to be impeached and
convicted by Congress. Lawmakers appear poised to take their
advice and bring charges early next year, setting up a historic
trial in the Senate. . . . "The fact is that we are discovering
a pattern of misbehavior that occurred over such a long period
of time that it's virtually unique in the annals of
impeachment," Michael Gerhardt, a constitutional law professor
at the University of North Carolina, told the House panel. "Just
imagine what happens if you don't act here - what kind of
precedent does that set?"
Judge Thomas Porteous impeachment backed by 3 legal experts
By
Bruce Alpert, Times-Picayune, NOLA.com
12-15-09 --
Congress can impeach U.S. District Judge Thomas Porteous even
though most of the accusations against him predate his federal
judicial tenure and none of the accusations has produced a
criminal indictment, three constitutional law experts testified
Tuesday. . . . "Every day that a fraudster continues to claim
the title of a federal judge and to draw his federal salary is
an affront to fellow citizens and taxpayers to say nothing of
the parties unfortunately to come before him," Akhil Amar, a
constitutional law professor at Yale Law School, told a House
task force considering whether to recommend Porteous'
impeachment. "The mere fact that criminal prosecution of
Porteous might not be warranted should not mean that he should
therefore escape the scrutiny and verdict of an impeachment
court." . . . Porteous, 63, would never have made it to the
federal bench if he had revealed during the vetting process that
he had received payments as a Jefferson Parish judge from
lawyers that had cases before him and that he helped arrange
bail amounts for defendants benefiting a bail bond company that
provided him with meals and other benefits, Amar said.
Bail bondsman testifies in hearing for Judge Thomas Porteous
By
Bruce Alpert, Times-Picayune NOLA.com
12-11-09 --
With Thomas Porteous, his benefactor on the Jefferson Parish
Court about to be sworn in as a federal judge, convicted bail
bondsman
Louis Marcotte III told a House task force Thursday
that he tried to rush through as many bond rulings as he could
in those final days. . . . "We wanted to make as much money as
we could while he was on his way out," Marcotte told the
12-member task force, which is deciding whether to recommend
that the House Judiciary Committee proceeds with the impeachment
of Porteous from the
U.S. District Court in New Orleans. Marcotte said he
told associates that "we're going to wear him (Porteous) out." .
. . In fact, according to Alan Baron, the special counsel
advising the task force, Judiciary Committee investigators have
found 50 bail decisions benefiting Marcotte's bail bond company
in the two months before Porteous was sworn in as a federal
District Judge on Oct. 28 1994. . . . One of the rulings came
the day before the swearing in, Baron said.
Judge Thomas Porteous accused of bankruptcy fraud during
impeachment hearing
By
The Times-Picayune, NOLA.com
12-10-09 --
U.S. District Judge
Thomas Porteous of Metairie was accused at his
impeachment hearing Tuesday of obtaining a new credit card and
racking up thousands of dollars in casino debt without
permission during his 2002 bankruptcy proceedings. . . . The
testimony came during the House Judiciary Committee's
judicial impeachment task force inquiry into whether
the Eastern District of Louisiana judge should face impeachment
charges based on allegations that he solicited cash bribes from
local lawyers and other irregularities.
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November 2009
Probe of U.S. District Judge Thomas Porteous could touch lawyers
By
Drew Broach, The Times-Picayune
11-30-09 --
With impunity so far, five
lawyers have told federal investigators they regularly gave cash
or other gifts to Judge
Thomas Porteous of Metairie as long ago as the 1980s,
including two who testified this month before a congressional
task force considering whether Porteous should be impeached. . .
. None of the lawyers has been criminally prosecuted for the
payments, although professional sanctions could be in the
offing. . . . The chairman of the Louisiana Attorney
Disciplinary Board said last week that it's not unusual for its
sanctions process to take a back seat to other investigations,
and two of the lawyers who ponied up for Porteous, Jacob Amato
and Robert Creely, told Congress that they are indeed subjects
of pending professional complaints. . . . The delay in
reprimanding the lawyers sheds new light on the workings of the
disciplinary board and the Office of Disciplinary
Counsel, which acts as the principal investigator and prosecutor
of professional misconduct by lawyers.
Judge Thomas Porteous accusation of bias troubles impeachment
task force member
By
Bruce Alpert, Times-Picayune NOLA.com
11-27-09 --
As a former state judge,
U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., says one accusation
against federal
District Judge Thomas Porteous of Metairie stands
out:
his refusal to recuse himself from a case in which he
was secretly receiving money from one of the attorneys. . . .
"That goes to an issue that I am very concerned about," said
Johnson, who argues that a judiciary free of bias is
"fundamental to the functioning of our legal system." . . .
Johnson, a member of the 12-member
House Judiciary Committee task force considering
Porteous' impeachment, isn't alone. Comments by fellow task
force members during the first two days of hearings last week
suggest a consensus building that the accusations against
Porteous are serious enough to warrant his removal from office.
. . . Several more hearings are likely in December, and perhaps
January, before the task force decides whether to recommend an
impeachment resolution to the House Judiciary Committee. . . .
After listening during two days of hearings to criticism of his
client's actions, Porteous' attorney, Richard Westling,
expressed concern that "there is a certain amount of
predisposition on the panel." He urged task force members to
keep an open mind, saying they will hear testimony that "there
has never been an argument that what happened in Judge Porteous'
courtroom was anything but fair."
October 2009
Federal judge's tax returns sought in probe
By Bruce
Alpert, Times-Picayune
10-1-09 --
The top Democrat and Republican on
the House Judiciary Committee are asking the House to give the panel
authority to inspect tax returns and "tax return information" as
part of its
impeachment investigation into U.S. District Judge Thomas
Porteous of Louisiana. . . . The requested resolution from Committee
Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., and ranking Republican Lamar Smith
of Texas, has been referred to the House Rules Committee and
indicates the panel's investigation is proceeding. . . . Attorneys
for the committee have been in New Orleans interviewing witnesses
for the past several months, aided by a House resolution that allows
them to grant witnesses immunity from prosecution for any
information they provide. . . . The core facts in the case aren't in
dispute. . . . Porteous has admitted he had a drinking problem, was
addicted to gambling, filed a false statement in a bankruptcy
application and that friends had helped him out of financial jams
even when they had cases pending before him.
May 2009
Scalise urges quick action on Porteous impeachment probe
by Bruce
Alpert, The Times-Picayune
5-4-09 --
Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, is asking the House Judiciary
Committee to "act swiftly" to complete its impeachment investigation
of U.S. District Judge Thomas Porteous in the Eastern District of
Louisiana. . . . The probe, which began last year, was reauthorized
in January but delayed for three months after it was determined the
private attorney hired to oversee the probe was subject to House
conflict of interest rules. . . . His law firm, Holland & Knight,
would have been barred from lobbying members of the Judiciary
Committee while he conducted the Porteous probe. As a result, the
probe was in limbo until Barron found a position in March with
another firm, Seyfarth Shaw, which doesn't do lobbying. . . . Now,
that the lawyer is back on the job, Scalise wants the investigation
expedited. . . . "We cannot afford to have another Congress pass
without a resolution to this matter, as happened with the conclusion
of the 110th Congress," Scalise said in a letter to committee
chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., and ranking Republican, Lamar Smith,
R-Texas.
October 2008
Judge's secretary paid his gambling debts
by
Richard Rainey, The Times-Picayune
10-5-08 --
When the Judicial Council of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals effectively suspended District Judge Thomas Porteous
last month, it quietly shuttered his chambers and laid off his
staff of five, including a secretary who played an integral role
in the financial history of the disgraced judge. . . . Rhonda
Danos, described in private conversations as fiercely loyal to
Porteous, lost a post she held in his front office for 24 years.
Beyond the usual trappings of a secretary's duties, she paid
some of Porteous' gambling and credit card debts and, according
to testimony from one witness, delivered money to the judge from
lawyers who had a case in his court. . . . "Tom Porteous says
she's a very fine lady and that he's had her with him for many
years, and he feels terrible that she somehow has been dragged
into this," said Porteous' attorney, Lewis Unglesby. "And now
with the 5th Circuit not even giving her a chance to defend
herself, she has to lose her job."
September 2008
House Committee Names Task Force to Investigate Possible
Impeachment of Federal Judge
Pamela A. MacLean, The National Law Journal
9-22-08 --
The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday announced 12 members
of the task force that will investigate whether U.S. District
Judge G. Thomas Porteous of the Eastern District of Louisiana
should be impeached. . . . Chairman John Conyers Jr., D-Mich.,
and ranking Republican Lamar Smith, R-Texas, named seven
Democrats and five Republicans to the task force with Rep. Adam
Schiff, D-Calif., to chair the group. . . . The leading
Republican member of the committee will by Rep. Bob Goodlatte,
R-Va. . . . Porteous, appointed to the federal bench in
Louisiana by President Bill Clinton in 1994, has been
suspended for two years by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court
of Appeals and stripped of court staff. . . . He allegedly
"solicited and received" cash from lawyers with cases pending
before him while a state judge and later on the federal bench,
lied on financial disclosure statements and committed perjury by
filing false statements in his personal bankruptcy.
House Panel Moves Toward Impeaching Federal Judge
Laurie Kellerman, The Associated Press, Law.com
9-18-08 --
The House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to open the first
impeachment probe of a sitting judge in almost two decades. . . .
With little discussion, the Democratic-led panel voted unanimously
to launch an investigation against U.S. District Judge Thomas
Porteous, a Louisiana jurist, who is charged with presiding over a
trial in which the lawyers involved had given him money. He's also
accused of filing for bankruptcy under a false name. . . . Porteous
was appointed by President Clinton. . . . The Judicial Conference of
the United States
reported in June that Porteous may deserve impeachment.
If the full House impeaches Porteous, the case would advance to a
Senate trial. A guilty verdict would remove him from the bench. . .
. It would be the first impeachment of a federal judge since 1989,
when the House impeached Walter Nixon of Mississippi and the Senate
convicted Alcee L. Hastings, now a Democratic congressman from
Florida, who had been impeached the year before.
House panel moving on Porteous impeachment
by Richard Rainey, The Times-Picayune
9-16-08 --
The U.S. House Judiciary Committee could form a task force as early
as Wednesday to examine the case for impeachment against federal
Judge Thomas Porteous. . . . Committee leaders called today for a
vote to jumpstart the congressional inquiry into Porteous' alleged
misdeeds, including accusations of bankruptcy fraud, perjury and
wanton gambling. The move signals the first actions in Congress to
examine the Porteous case since the Judicial Conference of the
United States, led by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts,
recommended in June that the House go forward with impeachment
proceedings. . . . "We take it very seriously when the governing
body of the judiciary sends us a referral for impeachment," said
Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., chairman of the Judiciary Committte.
"Upon review, we believe this matter merits a full investigation." .
. . "Public corruption at any level should not be tolerated, but it
is especially egregious when a federal judge, who has been appointed
for life, falls under allegations of bribery and unethical
behavior," said the committee's senior Republican, Rep. Lamar Smith
of Texas. "While I regret that these actions are necessary, Congress
has a responsibility to investigate and restore credibility to the
federal bench."
Judge Who Faces Impeachment Took Cash, Gifts From Lawyers With
Pending Cases
by
Christina Jewett , ProPublica -
|
Federal Judge Thomas Porteous Jr. faces impeachment for
accepting cash and gifts, including rooms in Las Vegas. (Credit: Flickr User: fusionpanda/ProPublica) |
9-16-08 --
As Hurricane Ike barreled down on south Texas and revelations came
to light about sex, cocaine and insider deals at the Department of
the Interior, the presiding judge of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals posted a
raft (PDF) of documents accusing one federal judge of
gambling, bribery and judicial misconduct. . . . Chief Judge Edith
H. Jones released results of a Justice Department
investigation (PDF) and 5th Circuit special committee
report alleging that District Judge Thomas Porteous Jr.
of New Orleans lied in his personal bankruptcy case and accepted
rooms in Las Vegas and envelopes of cash from attorneys with cases
awaiting his decisions. . . . The reports ask the House Judiciary
Committee to hold an impeachment hearing of Porteous. If the case is
taken up, it would mark the first time a federal judge has faced
impeachment in nearly two decades. The committee plans to vote
Wednesday on whether to create a task force to recommend whether to
proceed with impeachment. . . . The reports allege the judge was an
alcoholic and "reckless gambler" who accepted money -- and at times
demanded it -- from five attorneys and representatives of two
companies with more than 25 cases before him. . . . New Orleans
attorney Jacob Amato told investigators he and his law partner paid
Porteous an estimated $10,000, according to the DOJ report. Amato
chipped in $2,000 toward the wedding for one of Porteous' children
while he awaited the judge's decision on a $110 million civil case.
The decision came down in Amato's client's favor but was later
overturned.
Federal Judge Slammed by 5th Circuit in Disciplinary Action
Pamela A. MacLean, The National Law Journal
9-15-08 --
U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Porteous of Louisiana, already faced
with a
recommendation for impeachment and suspended from the
bench since the spring, got more bad news Thursday from the 5th U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals. . . . The circuit's Judicial Council
ordered all his cases removed for two years, or until Congress acts
on the impeachment request, removed Porteous' staff and issued a
public reprimand, along with hundreds of pages of previously secret
documents in the investigation. . . . The judicial complaint against
Porteous alleges he "solicited and received" cash from lawyers with
cases pending before him, lied on financial disclosure documents and
committed perjury by signing false statements in his personal
bankruptcy case.
In re Complaint for Judicial Misconduct against U.S. District
Judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr., 07-05-351-0085. . . . He was
not been charged with any criminal conduct by the Justice
Department.
