Issa Introduces Bicameral Legislation to Support Transparency Measures for Federal Judiciary

WASHINGTON DC – This week, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50) introduced the Courthouse Ethics and Transparency Act to require online publication of financial disclosure reports for federal judges. The bill, which Congressman Issa introduced with Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02), is cosponsored by Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Congressman Chip Roy (TX-21), and Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-4). It would also require that federal judges submit periodic transaction reports for certain securities transactions. Companion legislation was introduced by Senator John Cornyn (TX) and Senator Chris Coons (DE).
 
“No part of our foundation of law and order can proceed without the considered, continuous and constant work of judges – and that’s why an unbiased judiciary is imperative,” said Rep. Issa. “Under this act, we will equalize the accountability of our third branch of government to the same standard of elected officials.”
 
“The STOCK Act rightly strengthened disclosure requirements and boosted transparency for elected officials, but federal judges were inexplicably carved out of these tougher rules,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would subject federal judges to the same disclosure requirements of other federal officials so we can be sure litigants are protected from conflicts of interest and cases are decided fairly.”
 
“A fundamental pillar of our justice system is the right to a fair and impartial trial. Litigants need confidence that they will receive an unbiased hearing free from outside influence and based only on the facts and the law,” said Sen. Coons. “I’m proud to introduce this bill with my colleagues that will strengthen financial disclosure requirements for federal judges and help bolster confidence in the justice system.”
 
“Every American is entitled to equal justice under law," said Rep. Ross. “To live up to that foundational promise, we must ensure that judges conduct themselves ethically and impartially. That is why I introduced this bipartisan legislation to strengthen the judiciary’s integrity and restore trust in our nation’s courts. The Courthouse Ethics and Transparency Act will ensure that judges are held to the same disclosure requirements as members of the legislative and executive branches. The bill will also grant public access to these disclosures through an online, searchable database, helping to bring necessary transparency to our nation’s courts.”

“As recent reports have confirmed, our federal judiciary has operated with too much secrecy and minimal accountability for far too long,” said Chairman Nadler. “Transparency and ethics are vital to the integrity of the judiciary and maintaining the public’s trust in our courts. We are proud to join Representatives Ross and Issa in introducing bipartisan legislation that will improve disclosure requirements for federal judges, a simple step that will help ensure judges remain impartial and cases are decided fairly.”  
  
“Federal Judges are increasingly facing cases that involve corporate and other parties that may impact the financial investments and overall wealth of those judges and create conflicts of interest,” said Rep. Roy. “Trust in our judicial system demands clear impartiality of the judges. In order to improve that trust, judges should be required to disclose their financial interests to the American public, meaning at least adhering to the same standard as currently applied to members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. I am proud to co-lead this bipartisan effort with my colleagues from both chambers of Congress.”
 
Darrell Issa is the Representative of California’s 50th Congressional District, is a senior member on the House Judiciary Committee, and is ranking member of the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet. The 50th District encompasses the central and northeastern parts of San Diego County and a portion of Riverside County, including the communities of Fallbrook, San Marcos, Valley Center, Ramona, Escondido, Santee, Lakeside, El Cajon, Temecula, and the mountain and desert areas of the San Diego-Imperial County line. Issa served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from 2011-2015.

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