2/9 “In 1981, a fed grand jury indicted Judge Hastings along with his friend William Borders, a D.C. lawyer. Hastings was charged with conspiracy/obstruction of justice for soliciting a $150,000 bribe in return for reducing the sentences of two mob-connected felons.” #corruption
3/9 “A year after Borders was convicted, the result of an FBI sting, Hastings's case came before the criminal court. Despite Borders’ conviction, and the fact that Hastings had indeed reduced the sentences of the two felons, he was acquitted...and returned to his judicial post.”
4/9 “Subsequently, suspicions arose that Hastings had lied and falsified evidence during the trial in order to obtain an acquittal. A special committee of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals began a new probe into the Hastings case.”
5/9 “The resulting three-year investigation ended with the panel concluding that Hastings did indeed commit perjury, tamper with evidence, and conspire to gain financially by accepting bribes. The panel recommended further action to the U.S. Judicial Conference...”
6/9 “...which, in turn, informed the House of Representatives on March 17, 1987, that Judge Alcee Hastings should be #impeached and removed from office.”
7/9 “The Senate deliberated in closed session on October 19, 1989. The following day, the Senate voted on 11 of the 17 articles of #impeachment, convicting Hastings, by the necessary two-thirds vote, on 8 articles.”
8/9 “Having achieved the necessary majority vote to convict on 8 articles, the Senate’s president pro temp ordered Hastings removed from office. The Senate did not vote to disqualify him from holding future office.”
9/9 “Four years later, Hastings was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for the term beginning January 3, 1993.” And he’s currently in his 14th term.
