He's been on the bench for 26 years, and will be 73 next month. I'll be 73 in August. If he wasn't ready to retire, he is now, and he won't be happy with the record he will leave the court with. He bowed happily to Eric Holder's request, and dismissed the conviction of Ted Stevens due to prosecutorial malfeasance. It's amazing how a dirty Judge will sing a different tune, depending on who is in the White House.
He can’t be removed except by Impeachment in Congress.
To be more clear, an appeals court can remove him from the case. He could even be reassigned to get fewer cases maybe. But he can’t be fired he can only be impeached and removed.
When the Senate seat was safely secured for the Democrats, and for the Obamacare vote.
Not until then.