Kavanaugh, nominated to replace the retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy, has spent most of his career working for the federal government, except for two stints at a private law firm totaling as much as five years.

He clerked for three federal judges and worked for Kenneth Starr when he was solicitor general in the George H.W. Bush administration and when Starr investigated President Bill Clinton as the Whitewater independent counsel. Kavanaugh joined President George W. Bush’s administration until he was confirmed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in 2006.

His wife served as personal secretary to the second Bush from the start of his term through 2004. She was his assistant when he was governor of Texas.

‘Just a Bank Account’
Gabe Roth, executive director of Fix the Court, which advocates for more accountability from the Supreme Court, said other judges have had similar financial profiles, including nominees for the high court. "Anthony Kennedy really just had a bank account and a retirement account and life insurance," he said.

Federal judges are supposed to recuse themselves from cases in which they, their spouses or dependent children have a financial interest. The Supreme Court justices also follow that standard, although they aren’t required to by federal law. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Stephen Breyer and Samuel Alito on occasion step aside from cases involving companies in which they hold stock.

Roth said, "Having all these different stocks and securities always lead to errors when they haven’t recused when they should recuse."

Circuit court judges currently earn $220,600 a year, and Kavanaugh’s financial disclosure shows he earned another $27,490 last year teaching at Harvard Law School. If confirmed to the Supreme Court, his salary would increase to $255,300.

This article was provided by Bloomberg News.

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