Republican forced voting marathon delays House plan to vote on US judge’s impeachment

House postpones vote on judge’s impeachment

WASHINGTON — The House on Thursday postponed a vote on the impeachment of a federal judge now in prison for lying about the sexual assaults of two female workers.

The House had planned to vote on four articles of impeachment against U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent. A string of procedural votes forced by Republicans on other legislation pushed the vote late into the afternoon and eventually caused a postponement.

A vote was possible Friday.

Kent, 59, of Texas, began serving a 33-month sentence Monday in a federal medical prison in Massachusetts. He pleaded guilty last month to lying to a 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals investigatory committee about sexual misconduct with the women.

Several members of Congress have pushed for a swift impeachment of Kent to prevent him from continuing to draw his $174,000 a year salary while he is in prison.

Kent has refused to resign until June 2010. Impeachment is the only way to force federal judges out of office because they are appointed for life.