Senators Call For Misconduct Review Against Judge Who Ran Pr Firm On The Side

Delaware’s senators are calling for federal court officials to review a judge’s conduct following a POLITICO report that she ran a Washington public affairs firm for at least six months after taking the bench.

Sens. Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester, both Democrats, submitted a formal complaint against Judge Jennifer Mascott on Friday, asking 3rd Circuit executive Margaret Wiegand to review Mascott’s decision to lead PR firm Adfero while simultaneously sitting on the court.

“We are concerned that by dedicating extensive time and attention to her role in Adfero, Judge Mascott may have engaged in misconduct,” the senators wrote in the complaint, obtained by POLITICO.

Wiegand declined to comment, citing rules that bar court officials from disclosing information about judicial complaints. Mascott did not respond to a request for comment.

Mascott, a President Donald Trump appointee, took an active role in the management of Adfero in the months following her October 2025 confirmation. She oversaw the firm’s staffing and business development efforts while attempting to steer it out of a staff exodus and downward spiral that ended with the company closing at the end of June.

During the first half of 2026, Mascott oversaw Adfero’s operations from its Washington office in between traveling to her chambers in Wilmington and the 3rd Circuit’s headquarters in Philadelphia. As clients and staff left the firm, Mascott helped brainstorm new business development opportunities and brought on GOP consultants to fill the gaps.

Coons and Blunt Rochester criticized Mascott during her confirmation process, citing her lack of ties to their state, where her judicial seat is based.

“As representatives for the people of Delaware in the United States Senate, we want to ensure that the judges serving our state on the Third Circuit are fully committed to doing their best work, free from undue distraction or unethical conduct,” they wrote in the Friday complaint.

The senators highlighted in their complaint that Mascott has only written three opinions, two of which are under a page long, since joining the bench — which they say is a low output compared to most of her colleagues on the 3rd Circuit, which encompasses New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “We are concerned that Judge Mascott’s outside activities may have taken time away from judicial activities,” they wrote.

Complaints against judges in the 3rd Circuit are forwarded to Chief Judge Michael Chagares, a George W. Bush appointee, who then decides if a complaint should be dismissed, concluded without further action, or referred to a special committee of judges for investigation. Anyone can file a complaint against a federal judge, but they rarely lead to disciplinary action.

Mascott told POLITICO in an August statement that she “consulted with long-time firm HR lawyers and other advisors and legal ethical experts about how to comply with all requirements” while overseeing the company.

“At all steps, I have followed ethical and legal obligations and kept appropriate officials informed, including in government security background checks and my Senate Judiciary Questionnaire,” she said in the August statement.

Coons and Blunt Rochester acknowledged Mascott’s disclosure in their complaint, making clear they don’t believe her decision to maintain an ownership stake in the company was itself unethical. “Although ownership of an independent public affairs firm does not necessarily constitute judicial misconduct, ongoing and active engagement in managing that firm can be,” they wrote.