Crist Appoints Former Rep. Canady To Florida Supreme Court

Tallahassee, FL (AHN) - One of the prosecutors in the impeachement proceedings against former President Bill Clinton has been appointed to the Florida Supreme Court.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist announced on Thursday that he had chosen Judge Charles Canady of the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals as his first appointment to the seven-member court.

"I am confident Judge Canady will rule from our state's highest bench with wisdom, fairness and humility. He has shown throughout his career the courage to make rulings that are fair and just," Crist said in a statement.

Canady is a four-term U.S. representative who left Congress in 2001 following a campaign pledge on term limits. He served as general counsel to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush before being appointed to the appellate court.

As a congressman from Florida, he was one of managers chosen to conduct the impeachment proceedings against Clinton on charges of perjury, obstruction of justice and abuse of power stemming from the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

He said on Thursday he is "grateful to have the confidence and support" of Crist, according to news release from the governor's office.

Canady replaces Raoul Cantero, Florida's first Cuban-American Supreme Court justice who is returning to private practice.