Delaware Senators File Ethics Complaint Against Third Circuit Judge Mascott Over PR Firm Role
Delaware U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester filed an ethics complaint October 2 against Third Circuit Judge Mascott, questioning whether his side role at a public-relations firm violates judicial ethics rules, Delaware Online and the ABA Journal reported.
The senators said paid outside work that could compromise the appearance of judicial impartiality breaches the Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges, and asked the chief judge to investigate.
Judge Mascott has not publicly responded. Ethics experts say complaints against circuit judges go through the circuit judicial council, and the inquiry could include hearings and written interrogatories.
Outside employment by federal judges is tightly restricted to safeguard judicial independence and public trust. A joint complaint by a state's two U.S. senators is rare; the findings could affect the judge's case assignments or even tenure, and the legal community is watching closely.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于费城的James A. Byrne联邦法院大楼（第三巡回上诉法院驻地）。摄影：Carol M. Highsmith，公有领域，来源：Wikimedia Commons
