Sept 13 (Askume) – Under new ethics rules, federal judges must bar their legal staff from seeking employment with political organizations while working for the court system to avoid the risk of compromising judicial independence.
The Judicial Conference of the United States Code of Conduct Committee on Thursday issued an election year advisory providing guidance for judicial officers on what types of political activity are permitted or prohibited.
The Code of Conduct for Judges already advises them to refrain from political activities and, subject to prior directions, staff are prohibited from participating in a variety of activities, including membership of partisan political organisations.
The new guidance goes further, recommending that judges prohibit their clerks from clerking for political parties, partisan groups, or organizations that advocate for or against candidates or parties in elections.
“If a paralegal applies for a job with a political organization, there is a risk of associating the office of a judge with political activity, which could threaten the independence of the judiciary,” the advisory opinion states.
The revised ethics opinion is before the judiciary for considerationThe release comes amid the release of new guidance on judges’ ethical obligations in hiring law clerks.
The committee began considering the issue after two judges hired a staffer who had been accused of racist behavior by conservative advocacy groups. He successfully secured a coveted clerkship with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Some conservative judges have recently announced, They will boycott clerkships at some law schools, including Columbia University, following demonstrations and riots on campus, which have also raised questions about ethical suitability .
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