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When Chief Justice Earl Warren announced in 1968 that he would retire on the condition that a replacement were chosen, Johnson picked Fortas. This selection of a crony offended even Democrats in the [[U.S. Senate]], and they refused to confirm him. Disclosure of how Fortas accepted a large outside lecture fee discredited Fortas further. Johnson withdrew the nomination.
When Chief Justice Earl Warren announced in 1968 that he would retire on the condition that a replacement were chosen, Johnson picked Fortas. This selection of a crony offended even Democrats in the [[U.S. Senate]], and they refused to confirm him. Disclosure of how Fortas accepted a large outside lecture fee discredited Fortas further. Johnson withdrew the nomination.
In early 1969, Life magazine ran a shocking expose about how Fortas had received $20,000 and a promise of annual payments for the rest of his life, and payments to his wife after he died, by a wealthy person facing conviction for insider trading. This scandal resulted in calls for impeachment, and Fortas resigned from the Court rather than be forcibly removed. The law firm that he started, ''Arnold, Fortas and Porter'', refused to take him back and removed "Fortas" from its name.
In early 1969, Life magazine ran a shocking expose about how Fortas had received $20,000 and a promise of annual payments for the rest of his life, and payments to his wife after he died, by a wealthy person facing conviction for insider trading. This scandal resulted in calls for impeachment. Fortas resigned from the bench in 1969 but denied any wrongdoing.<sup>[http://www.oyez.org/justices/abe_fortas/]</sup> The law firm that he started, ''Arnold, Fortas and Porter'', refused to take him back and removed "Fortas" from its name.
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[[Category:US Judges]]
[[Category:US Judges]]