Judge Kent: A new definition of Chutzpah

It used to be when someone was asked to explain the Yiddish word "chutzpah" they would use the example of the person who killed his parents and, at his trial, threw himself on the mercy of the court because he was an orphan.

Now we have a new definition--Texas Judge Samuel Kent, who pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and is insisting that he continue to draw his salary of $174,000 a year plus benefits while in prison. Kent is a federal district court judge and federal judges serve for life. So Kent is claiming "Hey, I am still a judge even though I am in prison." He did have the decency to resign from the bench earlier this month but he had the indecency to make it effective June 2010.

There's hope. The House Judiciary Committee voted 29-0 earlier this week to approve articles of impeachment against Kent. If the full House votes to impeach, then the case goes to the Senate for a trial. Here's hoping (a) Kent has the good sense to resign immediately or (b) that justice is swift in Congress to stop the joke of a lawbreaker getting paid to uphold the law.