This bill would create two new offices within the Supreme Court to address ethics matters. The Office of Ethics Counsel would advise justices and their spouses on ethical issues including financial disclosures, gift acceptance, conflicts of interest, and recusal decisions, while also providing biannual ethics training to all justices. The Office of Investigative Counsel would independently investigate ethics complaints filed by congressional leaders, with authority to issue subpoenas and compel testimony, and would submit findings to the Chief Justice with recommendations for remedies such as recusal or divestiture. Both offices would be staffed by experienced attorneys with annual salaries starting at $180,000 to $225,000, appointed by the Chief Justice for defined terms. The investigative office would have 60 days to review complaints and must report findings to Congress and the Attorney General if criminal violations are suspected, though the Chief Justice retains discretion over public release of investigation reports.
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