President Obama accepted the resignation yesterday of Federal District Court Judge who is serving a prison sentence for obstruction of justice after he was charged with sexual harassment of two member of his staff. The sexual harassment charges were dismissed in exchange for his plea to the obstruction of justice charge.

He initially said he would resign immediately after the conviction but then changed his mind and dated the resignation for June 1, 2010. Since Federal judges can only be removed from office by resignation or impeachment, this would have allowed him to collect his $174,000 annual salary for another year. President Obama did not accept the resignation dated June 2010 but he accepted the immediate resignation which came at the same time that Kent received notice that he was going to be tried before the Senate.

In response to his delayed resignation, The House of Representatives impeached him on four count–two of harassing his staff and one each of lying to judicial investigators and to the Justice Department. He is currently awaiting trial on the impeachment charges in the Senate.

The Obama administration continues to make plans for indefinite detention for many of the detainees at Guantanamo.

Indefinite detention violates many of the basic beliefs of our founders expressed in the Constitution. Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution states, “The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.” The Fifth Amendment guarantees “due process of law.” It starts out saying, “No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger;” The Sixth Amendment guarantees “the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury. It also requires that the accused have the right of confrontation and the use the state for compulsory process to obtain favorable witnesses. The Eighth Amendment forbids excessive bail.

Furthermore the United States has signed international treaties guaranteeing alleged terrorist the right to a speedy trial. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantees to all the right to a speedy and public trial.