Ranking Member Smith: We are here today to consider and vote on articles of impeachment following Judge Samuel Kent’s guilty plea and sentencing.
Judge Kent is a convicted felon and has pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice. As part of the plea agreement, five counts of the indictment charging Judge Kent with the sexual assault of two court employees were dismissed.
Last week, we heard from the two women that Judge Kent sexually assaulted. Their testimony about Judge Kent’s conduct was troubling, especially because Samuel Kent abused his authority as a federal judge to intimidate his staff into silence. Judge Kent continues to abuse his position of authority by refusing to resign immediately.
On June 15, Judge Kent will start serving a 33-month prison sentence. By resigning effective June 1, 2010, Judge Kent is attempting to collect his full judicial salary for another year, even while he sits in a federal prison.
Judge Kent and his lawyer are banking on the fact that impeachments take time, literally. Every day he remains in office, Judge Kent receives $465 of his taxpayer-funded salary. His continued attempts to game the judicial system are an affront to America’s system of justice.
That’s why we are here today--to put an end to Judge Kent’s abuse of authority and exploitation of American taxpayers.
I am not unsympathetic to the claims that Judge Kent endured difficult personal tragedies and may suffer from mental illness. However, he does not have the right to continue to serve as a federal judge.
Judge Kent has remained on the bench long after he sexually assaulted two women and lied to law enforcement officials. It is now time for justice: justice for the American people who have been exploited by a judge who violated his oath of office and obstructed justice by lying, and justice for the victims who were subjected to abuse and humiliation.
Judge Kent’s behavior has made him unworthy to serve on the federal bench. Ensuring that a federal judge convicted of a felony does not receive a taxpayer-funded salary while sitting in jail is important to our system of justice and is a priority of this Judiciary Committee.
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