STATEMENT - People Power United endorsed a major bill to create SCOTUS ethics

🗽A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.

People Power United joined other local, state, and national groups to endorse a major bill to create SCOTUS ethics. Shout out to Accountable U.S. for leading these efforts.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2023

WASHINGTON—Reps. Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), and
Ilhan Omar (MN-05), will host a press conference on Thursday at 11am to introduce their new bill, the Judicial Ethics Enforcement Act of 2024.

This bill would authorize the creation of an Office of the Inspector General within the judicial branch. The Inspector General would have the authority to investigate actions of the Justices on the Supreme Court and ensure there is accountability even on the highest court in the land.

Current Original Cosponsors: Rep. Troy Carter, Rep. Jared Huffman, Rep. Hank Johnson, Rep. Betty McCollum, Rep. Eleanor Norton, Rep. Delia Ramirez, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Rep. Adam Schiff, Rep. Jill Tokuda  

Background: (adapted from Rep. Stansbury's Dear Colleague)

We write to urge you to support/endorse the Judicial Ethics Enforcement Act of 2024. Your support for the legislation will help create a much-needed mechanism for investigating potentially wrongful actions of United States Supreme Court Justices. 

Unlike the detailed process for raising ethics complaints against other federal judges, there is currently no avenue for filing misconduct complaints against Supreme Court justices outside of the Congressional impeachment process. After a flurry of reporting on potentially serious ethical transgressions by Supreme Court justices, including unreported trips and gifts from billionaires with business before the Court, the Justices finally adopted their own code of conduct without any mechanism to investigate violations and enforce possible sanctions. This legislation would bring the Supreme Court justices in line with judges across America who have a binding code of conduct and take a necessary step in rebuilding the Supreme Court’s tarnished reputation and lost credibility with the American people.  

The Judicial Ethics Enforcement Act of 2024 would authorize the creation of an Office of the Inspector General within the judicial branch. The Inspector General would have the authority to investigate actions of the Justices on the Supreme Court and ensure that there is accountability even on the highest court in the land. 

Specifically, the Judicial Ethics Enforcement Act of 2024 would: 

·     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.   

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People Power United champions progressive values and power to the people.