Florida Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings dies from pancreatic cancer at the age of 84 

Rep. Alcee Hastings a longtime lawmaker from Florida who was impeached as a federal judge and went on to win election to Congress, has died at the age of 84.

Hastings was the dean of the Florida delegation, vice chair of the House Rules Committee, and a former member of the House Intelligence panel.

He died of pancreatic cancer, after being diagnosed in 2018 with Stage 4 cancer. 

Hastings was impeached by the House in 1987 after being indicted on charges of solicitation of a $150,000 bribe from an FBI agent in a sting. A criminal trial in 1981 had resulted in a hung jury. 

Rep. Alcee Hastings, a Democrat representing south Florida, died at the age of 84

The Senate convicted him and removed him from the bench, but that did not strip away his ability to hold elected office. 

He was elected to the House in 1992, winning a total of 15 races.

His past impeachment sometimes got in the way of advancing in the chamber. After the 2006 House Democratic takeover, Hastings was in line to chair the House Intelligence Committee.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., second from left, poses during a ceremonial swearing-in with Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., second from left, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, during the opening session of the 116th Congress. Hastings serve on the Rules Committee and chaired the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission).

Hastings pictured when he was Broward County Circuit Court Judge. He was impeached in the House, then went along to win election 15 times in the body that impeached him

But after Republicans elevated the issue, Speaker Nancy Pelosi passed him over, the Sun-Sentinel noted.   

The Treasury Department paid $220,000 to settle a sexual harassment claim brought by the conservative group Judicial Watch against him on behalf of a staffer who said he made inappropriate comments to her about sex. 

Hastings chaired the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission.