Congressman Dan Goldman Fights to Restore Judicial Ethics to the Supreme Court

‘Judicial Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act’ to Create Binding Code of Conduct and Accountability forSupreme Court Justices

Would Ban Federal Judges from Owning Conflicted Assets; Restrict Privately Funded Travel and Gifts

Washington D.C. - Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) today joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-7) in introducing the ‘Judicial Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act.’ Earlier this month, multiple reports uncovered decades of undisclosed gifts and travel accepted by Justice Clarence Thomas from political donor and activist Harlan Crow totaling millions of dollars.

“The recent breaches of ethics and trust have had major consequences for the nation and Americans’ faith in our nation’s highest court,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “These issues underscore the vital need to reshape ethical regulations on the Supreme Court. Justice Thomas’ conflicts of interests have not only permanently undermined his ability to do the job, they also have severely damaged the legitimacy of the Supreme Court. There is an urgent need for comprehensive ethics reform as it has become clear that the Supreme Court can no longer police itself.”

The Judicial Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act would work to strengthen the United States’ judicial ethics laws to preserve the integrity of the U.S. court system and improve the public’s confidence in it.

The Judicial Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act would ban federal judges from owning conflicted assets in order to root out financial conflicts of interest, strengthen restrictions on judicial gifts and privately funded travel, and set up a new oversight process for judicial attendance at privately-funded events.

This legislation would also require the Supreme Court to adhere to a binding Code of Conduct that creates new mechanisms for judicial accountability. This bill closes the loophole that allows judges to escape accountability by retiring from the bench, strengthens disciplinary authority of the Judicial Conference, establishes expedited impeachment procedures for federal judges, and allows the public to file complaints against Supreme Court Justices through a Supreme Court Complaints Review Committee.

In the past months, it has come to light that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas failed to disclose gifts and travel from political activist Harlan Crow with at least one trip valued at over $500,000. Reports have also revealed that Crow bought properties from Justice Thomas and his relatives for at least double what Justice Thomas had said those properties were worth. Justice Thomas’ family received up to $750,000 in income yearly from a firm that has not existed since 2006.

Justice Thomas’ pattern of unethical behavior dates to at least 2011, when it was revealed that he had failed to disclose employment details for his wife, Virginia Thomas, despite her earning over $686,000 from a conservative think tank, income from a conservative college, and reimbursements for trips to speak at law schools.

Prior to the recent revelations detailing Justice Thomas’ ethical lapses, 53 percent of Americans had little or no trust in the Supreme Court to operate in the best interests of the American people.

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