Washington ( CNN ) -- The House of Representatives voted unanimously Thursday to impeach Judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr. of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana , making him the nation 's 15th federal judge ever impeached . `` Our investigation found that Judge Porteous participated in a pattern of corrupt conduct for years , '' said U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff , D-California , chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Task Force on Judicial Impeachment . `` Litigants have the right to expect a judge hearing their case will be fair and impartial , and avoid even the appearance of impropriety . Regrettably , no one can have that expectation in Judge Porteous ' courtroom . '' After the impeachment vote , Schiff and Rep. Bob Goodlatte , R-Virginia , were named the lead impeachment managers for the Senate trial , which will decide whether to remove Porteous from the bench . `` Today 's vote marks only the second time in over 20 years that this has occurred , '' Goodlatte said in a House news release . `` However , when evidence emerges that an individual is abusing his judicial office for his own advantage , the integrity of the entire judicial system becomes compromised . '' In a statement , Porteous ' lawyer Richard W. Westling said the Justice Department had decided not to prosecute because it did not have credible evidence . `` Unfortunately , the House has decided to disregard the Justice Department 's decision and to move forward with impeachment . As a result , we will now turn to the Senate to seek a full and fair hearing of all of the evidence . '' In a telephone interview , Westling said he did not know when the Senate trial would be held . `` There are no clear rules that dictate timing , '' he said . Last year , the Task Force on Judicial Impeachment held evidentiary hearings that led to unanimous approval of the four articles of impeachment , citing evidence that Porteous `` intentionally made material false statements and representations under penalty of perjury , engaged in a corrupt kickback scheme , solicited and accepted unlawful gifts , and intentionally misled the Senate during his confirmation proceedings , '' the House release said . Porteous was appointed to the federal bench in 1994 . In 2007 , after an FBI and federal grand jury investigation , the Justice Department alleged `` pervasive misconduct '' by Porteous and evidence `` that Judge Porteous may have violated federal and state criminal laws , controlling canons of judicial conduct , rules of professional responsibility , and conducted himself in a manner antithetical to the constitutional standard of good behavior required of all federal judges . '' The complaint said the department opted not to seek criminal charges for reasons that included issues of statute of limitations and other factors . But Westling said the statute of limitations was not applicable . An Impeachment Task Force held four hearings late last year that focused on allegations of misconduct by Porteous , including : . -- Involvement in a corrupt kickback scheme . -- Failure to recuse himself from a case he was involved in . -- Allegations that Porteous made false and misleading statements , including concealing debts and gambling losses . -- Allegations that Porteous asked for and accepted `` numerous things of value , including meals , trips , home and car repairs , for his personal use and benefit '' while taking official actions on behalf of his benefactors . -- Allegations that Porteous lied about his past to the U.S. Senate and to the FBI about his nomination to the federal bench `` in order to conceal corrupt relationships , '' Schiff said in his floor statement as prepared for delivery . Porteous was invited to testify , but he declined to do so , Schiff said . `` His long-standing pattern of corrupt activity , so utterly lacking in honesty and integrity , demonstrates his unfitness to serve as a United States District Court judge , '' he said . Porteous , 63 , has not worked as a judge since he was suspended with pay in the fall of 2008 , Westling said . The last federal judge impeachment occurred last year , when Judge Samuel B. Kent of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas resigned after being impeached on charges of sexual assault , obstructing and impeding an official proceeding , and making false and misleading statements , according to the Web site of the Federal Judicial Center . The Senate , sitting as a court of impeachment , dismissed the articles . Before then , Judge Walter L. Nixon of U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi was impeached in 1989 on charges of perjury before a federal grand jury . The Senate convicted him and removed him from office that year .
Judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr. was impeached by District Court . Porteous is from U.S. District Court for the Southern District of U.S. . Rep. G. Thomas Porteous Jr. : Porteous `` participated in a pattern of corrupt conduct for late last year ''