(December 4, 2008)--The Texas Ethics Commission fined state Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht $29,000 Friday after determining he broke campaign finance laws.
Panel members decided Hecht accepted and failed to report an excessive political contribution from a law firm.
Hecht said he's disappointed with the ruling and might file a court appeal.
He accumulated the legal fees in his successful fight against allegations that he abused his position by openly supporting Harriet Miers of Dallas for a U.S. Supreme Court seat.
Miers was an adviser to President George W. Bush who later withdrew from seeking a place on the high court.
At issue is an estimated $168,000 discount that Hecht received from Chip Babcock and his law firm, Jackson Walker.
Hecht says the discount was legal and proper, but investigators found the reduction was a campaign contribution that violated finance limits.