Conservative policy group, the Center for Renewing America, has filed an ethics complaint against Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. The complaint alleges that Jackson “willfully” failed to disclose required income information about her husband’s malpractice consulting income for over a decade while serving on the federal bench. Led by former senior Trump White House official Russ Vought, the think tank is urging the Judicial Conference to refer Jackson’s possible ethics violations to Attorney General Merrick Garland for investigation and possible civil enforcement.
According to federal law, judges are legally required to disclose the source of earned income earned by a spouse if it exceeds $1,000, unless the spouse is self-employed in business or a profession. The complaint claims that Jackson repeatedly failed to disclose her husband’s income from medical malpractice consulting fees, despite acknowledging the omission in her 2020 amended disclosure form.
Vought argues that Jackson’s husband’s income does not qualify for the “self-employment” exception and accuses her of willfully violating the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. The former Office of Management and Budget chief points out that Jackson listed the specific sources of income for her first disclosure filing in 2012 but failed to do so in subsequent filings. He also raises concerns about her alleged failure to report the private funding sources of her investiture celebration at the Library of Congress.
The complaint suggests that Jackson’s pattern of not reporting material sources of income and gifts has shielded potential conflicts of interest from public scrutiny and undermined the ability of the public, watchdog groups, and parties to scrutinize her recusal decisions. It also questions whether Jackson was aware of the requirements of the Ethics in Government Act when she failed to disclose the funding sources for her investiture celebration, which included gifts such as flowers from Oprah Winfrey and a designer jacket from a Vogue photo shoot.
The Supreme Court’s public information office has not yet responded to requests for comment. As this complaint raises serious allegations against a Supreme Court Justice, it is crucial for the Judicial Conference and Attorney General Merrick Garland to thoroughly investigate the matter to ensure transparency and maintain public trust in the judicial system.
Brianna Herlihy is a politics writer for Digital, providing the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail and exclusive interviews. Stay subscribed for more politics content.
