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HALT has appeared in both print and non-print media in news stories in Missouri, Minnesota and New York, which document numerous instances in which U.S. District Court Judges held a financial interest in a party appearing before them. Not only did the judges fail to recuse themselves from hearing the cases in which they held a conflict of interest, but in some instances the judges entered procedural and dispositive court orders. HALT has made efforts to secure support from Congress in helping to make the financial information of federal judges more accessible to the public.
Beginning in April 1998, Kansas City Star investigative reporter Joe Stephens published a series of articles that reveal conflicts of interest by federal judges. These judges, who actually held stock in companies involved in lawsuits they heard, failed to obey the ethical rules that require them to disqualify themselves. These judges ignored their conflicts of interest and presided over cases where they had a financial interest in one side. One judge even conducted a fullblown trial. The series, which also revealed that judges' financial disclosure statements are not easily available to the public, was highlighted at oversight hearings before the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. HALT's letter to the House Judiciary Committee highlighted these revelations by the Kansas City Star.
Most recently, HALT urged the United States Senate Judiciary Committee to pass legislation which would require federal judges to post all financial holdings with their courthouse clerk so that the public could more easily access information about a judge's financial interests. HALT sent an action alert to notify members of this important opportunity for reform. As a result of HALT and other public interest groups' efforts, the United States Judicial Conference has agreed to consider this critically needed reform.
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