Supreme Court Transparency and Disclosure Bill: HR 862

In light of continuing controversies regarding Justice Clarence Thomas,  which we last discussed here, as well as a few other incidents, HR 862 has been coming to the fore. 

The bill, sponsored by Connecticut Representative Chris Murphy, would declare the Code of Conduct for United States Judges adopted by the Judicial Conference of the United States shall apply to the justices of the United States Supreme Court to the same extent as such Code applies to circuit and district judges.  The bill would also require disclosure for reasons of self-recusal, and  would require disclosure of the reasons the denial of any motion to recuse.  The bill would also require the Judicial Conference of the United States to establish a process of appeal of the denial of the motion for recusal; retired justices and senior judges would be eligible for such decision-making.

 

RR