Rep. Schiff Joins Reps. Stansbury, Raskin, and Omar in Introducing Bill to Demand Supreme Court Accountability

April 19, 2024

Washington, D.C.- Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) joined Representatives Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) in introducing the Judicial Ethics Enforcement Act of 2024, legislation which will create an Office of the Inspector General to ensure accountability of justices in the Supreme Court of the United States.

"It's essential that Americans have confidence that our judicial system is fair, impartial, and independent from inappropriate external influences," said Rep. Schiff. "The Judicial Ethics Enforcement Act of 2024 is designed to ensure that Supreme Court Justices, who should be expected to meet the most basic ethical standards, are subject to effective accountability through oversight by the Office of the Inspector General. I am grateful to Representative Stansbury for spearheading this vital initiative to preserve the integrity of America's courts."

"Americans have lost trust in the Supreme Court," said Rep. Stansbury. "Strong judicial ethics are critical to a free and democratic society. Safeguarding these fundamentals is necessary to ensuring we restore faith in our democracy and our institutions, and an Inspector General will hold the Justices internally accountable to the highest ethical standards to protect the Court from special interest groups looking to strip Americans of their rights to protect their personal agendas."

"CPD is proud to endorse the Judicial Ethics Enforcement Act and fight for the checks and balances this nation was founded upon," said CPD Co-Executive Directors, Analilia Mejia and DaMareo Cooper. "Today's Supreme Court is controlled by ultraconservative justices buried deep in the pockets of special interest groups committed to stripping our freedoms. It's high time we held the Court to an ethics code that forces them to act with the fairness their job demands."

"The Supreme Court is in a state of crisis-between the corruption permeating its halls and the attacks on our fundamental freedoms, Americans have lost faith in our highest court," said Tiffany Muller, President of End Citizens United // Let America Vote Action Fund. "The Judicial Ethics Enforcement Act of 2024 is a necessary step in holding the court accountable and restoring Americans' confidence in the institution. We thank Congresswoman Stansbury and Senator Blumenthal for their ongoing leadership in the fight to reform the Supreme Court."

Specifically the Judicial Ethics Enforcement Act of 2024

• Create an Office of the Inspector General within the Judicial branch.
• Authorize the Inspector General to conduct investigations of alleged violations of the Code of Conduct for Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States.
• Authorize the powers and limitations of the Office of the Inspector General when investigating the Court.
• Structure the duties of the Inspector General which would include conducting and supervising audits and investigations, preventing and detecting waste, fraud, and abuse; and recommending changes in laws or regulations relating to the code of conduct adopted by the Supreme Court.
• Require the Inspector General to make prompt reports to the Chief Justice and to Congress on matters that may require action by the Chief Justice or Congress.
• Require the Inspector General to report expeditiously to the Attorney General whenever the Inspector General has reasonable grounds to believe there has been a violation of Federal criminal law.
• Require the Inspector General to provide an annual report to both the House of Representatives and the Senate on the results of their investigations.
• Set appointments, term limits and removals of the inspector general.
• Provide protection for whistleblowers.

Recently, Schiff introduced the Judicial Integrity Act, a critical bill that would hold federal judges and justices accountable for violations of their ethical duties and restore integrity to the courts. Last Year, Schiff introduced the Justice is Beneficial Limitation on Investments and Necessary Disclosure (BLIND) Act, a bill that would require judges to place their financial assets and investments into blind trusts. Schiff also introduced the Judiciary Act of 2023 which would expand the Supreme Court to 13 members. Later in September, Rep. Schiff joined as an original cosponsor of the Supreme Court Tenure Establishment and Retirement Modernization (TERM) Act, which would set term limits for Supreme Court justices while establishing a process for Supreme Court appointments.

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