Kamlager-Dove, Schiff, Johnson, and Goldman Introduce Judicial Reform Package to Increase Transparency, Impose Ethics Standards

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Senator Adam Schiff (CA), and Representatives Hank Johnson (GA-04) and Dan Goldman (NY-10) introduced a judicial reform package to strengthen accountability, transparency, and ethical standards across the federal judicial court system. As part of the legislative package, Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove introduced the Judicial Integrity Act and co-led Rep. Johnson's Justice is BLIND Act and Rep. Goldman's Judicial FOIA Expansion Act. Senator Adam Schiff (CA) introduced companion legislation for all three bills in the Senate.

As the Supreme Court wraps up a session defined by historic rollbacks of the Voting Rights Act and other democratic guardrails, Rep. Kamlager-Dove is pushing a legislative package that includes bills to restore faith in the federal judiciary and address abuses of power, including by Supreme Court Justices. The bills would apply conflict of interest ethical standards to federal judges and Justices, require judges and Justices to place financial assets into blind trusts, and make the federal judiciary subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

"Americans' confidence in our federal judiciary has reached a record low. With Supreme Court Justices reportedly accepting lavish vacations from billionaires and issuing decisions that seemingly favor the president over the constitution, it's no surprise that this trust is broken," said Rep. Kamlager-Dove. "I'm proud to introduce the Judicial Integrity Act, which would combat undue outside influence by requiring judicial employees to meet the same financial conflict-of-interest standards as the executive branch. Together, this legislative package would establish an enforceable code of ethics for federal judges and justices, taking long-overdue steps to bring transparency and accountability back to our courts."

"The federal judicial system is desperately in need of reform to prevent further ethical lapses. The Supreme Court, and our federal judiciary at large, must be held to the highest standards, but time after time, judges have engaged in troubling acts, putting personal interests above the law and Constitution. I have long called for necessary reforms to regain trust in our system. We must hold judges to the same ethical standards as other federal officials, enhance transparency within the court system, and ensure cases are decided based on merit, not profits. Americans deserve nothing less," said Senator Schiff.

"Transparency and accountability are at the heart of the public's trust in government," said Rep. Johnson, Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet. "Americans deserve to know that officials in every branch of government - including the judiciary - are acting honorably and in the interest of the people, not their bank accounts. The Justice Is Blind Act would go a long way in preventing any conflicts of interest that might arise and help restore trust in our judiciary by requiring judges and justices to place their financial assets in blind trusts."

"Trust in our judicial system is waning because judges are not being held to the highest ethical standards. I'm introducing the Judicial FOIA Expansion Act to allow the public right of access to all records, including any judicial complaints. It is incumbent upon Congress to pass legislation to update ethical guidelines for judges and increase transparency, so that they are beholden only to the Constitution and the rule of law, not whoever is lining their pockets," said Congressman Dan Goldman.

A steady stream of alarming revelations in recent years has severely undermined public faith in the independence and integrity of the federal judiciary, including the U.S. Supreme Court. Investigative reports have uncovered a pervasive culture of undisclosed luxury gifts and glaring conflicts of interest, all while Justices refuse to recuse themselves from major cases tied directly to their benefactors' financial or political advantage.

To regain the American people's trust in our courts, Congress must pass rigorous, binding statutory guardrails that ensure no federal judge can operate above the ethical standards expected of other public servants. The proposed legislation is necessary in addition to other significant reforms to the Supreme Court and judiciary, including term limits, expanding the Court, and enforcing a code of ethics.

Descriptions of the bills included in the legislative package can be found below:

• Rep. Kamlager-Dove's Judicial Integrity Act was co-led by Reps. Johnson and Goldman. Sen. Schiff introduced companion legislation co-sponsored by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (CT) and Jeff Merkley (OR). The bill would:
  • Apply the federal conflict-of-interest statute-which currently applies to Executive Branch officials-to the federal judiciary, restricting judges' and Justices' ability to participate in any official matters in which they hold a financial interest.
• Rep. Johnson's Justice is BLIND Act was co-led by Reps. Kamlager-Dove and Goldman. Sen. Schiff introduced companion legislation co-sponsored by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (CT). The bill would:
  • Require all federal judges, Supreme Court Justices, magistrate judges, and bankruptcy judges, as well as their spouses and dependent children, to place covered financial interests into a qualified blind trust within 90 days of enactment or being sworn into office, preventing judicial conflicts of interest;
  • Require judges to provide a written compliance attestation within 15 days of establishing the trust; and
  • Direct the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to establish a searchable public database of judges' written compliance records.
• Rep. Goldman's Judicial FOIA Expansion Act was co-led by Rep. Kamlager-Dove. Sen. Schiff introduced companion legislation co-sponsored by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (CT) and Jeff Merkley (OR). The bill would:
  • Subject the administrative offices of the federal judiciary to the same Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requirements currently applied to executive branch agencies by creating an explicit right of public access to specific administrative records, including:
    • Judicial complaints, investigations, and orders against court personnel; attorney disciplinary proceedings; Judicial Conference meeting calendars and minutes; and PACER technical audits or update plans.
      

A one-pager and endorsements can be found here.

Full text of the Judicial Integrity Act can be found here.

Full text of the Justice is BLIND Act can be found here.

Full text of the Judicial FOIA Expansion Act can be found here.

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