I’m thrilled to hear that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) have reintroduced S. 1908, the Judicial Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act, legislation that aims to overhaul the nation’s judicial ethics laws.
The bill would increase transparency within federal courts by mandating the livestreaming of court proceedings, restricting the sealing of federal judges’ public health and safety records and more. The bill also imposes a code of conduct on the U.S. Supreme Court (the only federal court not currently subject to an ethics code), implements multiple new mechanisms to hold Supreme Court justices accountable and overhauls the judicial recusal process.
Federal judges would also be banned from owning individual stock and other assets that could result in conflicts of interest, and the bill would increase restrictions on judicial gifts and privately funded travel.
This bill is absolutely essential. I probably don’t need to tell you that public polling has shown declining approval of the Supreme Court since the start of the year amidst repeated controversies surrounding transparency and ethics. We MUST give Americans reason to trust in this court again. Our democracy depends on it. Please support this bill.
First sent on June 16, 2023 by Jess Craven
