Salary of a federal judge is never-ending

By David Skolnick

While reporting on the process to replace U.S. District Court Judge Peter C. Economus, I learned a little lesson about federal government financing.

It’s a lesson that helps explain the fiscal irresponsibility of the federal government.

It’s not a Democratic or Republican issue.

This is bipartisan waste, and it has nothing to do with the $787 billion federal stimulus package.

After 15 years on the bench and at the age of 65, a federal judge can take senior status or simply retire.

Whatever they were earning in annual salary at that time — $174,000 in the case of Judge Economus — is what they’ll receive from the federal government each year for the rest of their lives.

It’s one of the greatest pension plans I know of and it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Economus moves from an active judge to a senior judge on July 3.

What’s a senior judge?

It’s a position that allows federal judges to work part-time and still collect their same salaries.

There are some scenarios in which a senior judge doesn’t have to hear any cases.

But typically a senior judge handles about 15 percent of an active judge’s annual caseload, according to the U.S. Court’s Web site.

Judge Economus expects to retire in August 2010, move to Columbus. He will still receive $174,000 annually.

I’m using Judge Economus as an example of what’s wrong with the federal court system.

He is about to become one of several hundred, possibly a few thousand, senior and retired judges receiving full pay while either working a significantly reduced schedule or not working as a judge at all.

There is a better example.

U.S. District Court Judge Samuel Kent from Texas is a criminal.

He was sentenced in May to 33 months in prison for obstructing justice in connection with a sexual abuse investigation.

The judge lied to investigators about sexually abusing two female employees.

If a federal judge resigns, he forfeits his annual salary/pension for life.

Instead of resigning, Kent tried to retire on a disability claim so he could still get his $174,000 a year.

Then he submitted a letter of resignation on June 1 that would take effect in a year. He’d receive his annual salary while in federal prison, which is where he’s been since Monday.

The U.S. Constitution forbids Congress to reduce a federal judge’s salary.

So Congress is going through an impeachment process to cut off this crook’s money supply.

That’s not to say other federal judges are criminals.

But it’s completely outrageous that they are being paid their full salary with federal tax dollars to do nothing or next to nothing in many instances.

There’s nothing that can be done to change it, but it still doesn’t make it right.

As for Judge Economus’s replacement, a 17-member judicial advisory committee is reviewing documents submitted by 21 applicants for the job.

A recommendation is expected next month.

Then U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown and George V. Voinovich will recommend a candidate to President Barack Obama.

Brown’s influence will be greater than Voinovich because he is a Democrat, like the president.

The candidate nominated by Obama needs to be confirmed by the Senate.

The process can sometimes be lengthy. But Judge Economus will still be on the bench in Youngstown until about August 2010, albeit at a reduced level.