U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk of the Northern District of Texas has been accused of concealing the bulk of his personal fortune in financial disclosure forms for 2020 and 2021. Kacsmaryk is known for blocking access to the abortion drug mifepristone, which caused widespread criticism. Reports suggest that while the judge disclosed he owns between $5 million and $25 million in stock in a company, he did not reveal the name of the company. This information was reportedly redacted on the forms, which is an unusual move that has drawn attention from media outlets like CNN and the Washington Post.
According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, federal judges can withhold information on financial disclosure forms if it could endanger the judge or a family member. The articles note that Kacsmaryk may have redacted the company’s name due to concerns for his safety or his family’s safety. However, some believe the redaction may have been made to hide the judge’s wealth.
Interestingly, it is possible that the redacted information refers to the Florida supermarket company Publix, where Kacsmaryk’s grandmother had worked. Reports suggest that Kacsmaryk had disclosed owning Publix stock on a 2017 disclosure form when he was a judicial nominee. His 2020 disclosure form stated that the unnamed stock was previously held in trust for Kacsmaryk but that the judge now owns it personally after the dissolution of the trust. Publix stock is not publicly traded; only employees and board members can purchase it.
Kacsmaryk told CNN in a statement that the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts had approved the redaction after reviewing the relevant rules and applicable threats. He further stated that the company is a private corporation that operates outside Texas. The jurisdiction is overseen by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New Orleans, which hears appeals from Kacsmaryk’s district court. Kacsmaryk claimed that the clerk’s office has the name of the company and that he would be automatically recused from any cases involving this entity.
Kacsmaryk had recently blocked all access to mifepristone because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration did not properly consider safety concerns when it approved the drug. This decision was met with criticism, and the U.S. Supreme Court later stayed that order.
In conclusion, Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk’s financial disclosure forms for 2020 and 2021 have raised questions due to the redaction of the name of a company that he owns stock in. While federal judges are allowed to withhold information on financial disclosure forms, some believe that Kacsmaryk may have made this redaction to conceal his wealth. The judge has denied these allegations and claims that he made the redaction due to concerns for his safety or the safety of his family. The case is ongoing, and further developments are expected.