Panel led by Maine judge considers ban on free trips

[MaineDem]

WASHINGTON --Federal judges have begun considering whether free trips are appropriate for members of the bench as criticism picks up over judges' expense-paid travel to private seminars.

A panel headed by U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby of Maine has met several times this spring to study the practice of expenses-paid seminars for judges and will make a recommendation to leaders of the federal judiciary.

On Wednesday, a liberal-leaning environmental organization, the Community Rights Counsel, turned over new records to the task force showing that cigarette-makers and oil companies gave money to two conservative groups that host seminars for judges.

The groups are the Montana-based Foundation for Research on Economics and the Environment and the Law and Economics Center at George Mason University in Virginia.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2006/05/25/panel_led_by_maine_judge_considers_ban_on_free_trips/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Maine+news