Trump-appointed judge kept running D.C. PR firm until its shutdown
Judge Jennifer Mascott continued to manage the PR firm Adfero for months after her 2025 confirmation, before the company folded.
Jennifer Mascott, a 3rd Circuit appellate judge appointed by Donald Trump, kept her position as managing trustee of the D.C. public-relations firm Adfero for at least six months following her October 2025 confirmation. Inheriting the company from her husband, who died in 2023, she reportedly attended the office about once a week while performing judicial duties. Staff grew increasingly uncomfortable, with resignations accelerating from one per month to one per day, culminating in the firm’s shutdown in June.
Former employees and a client expressed doubts about the legality of her simultaneous service and cited the firm’s new partisan direction, including hiring consultants linked to a MAGA congresswoman, as reasons for leaving. Mascott defended her actions, saying she consulted legal and ethical advisors while trying to keep the business viable. The Daily Beast has sought comment from Mascott.
Why it matters
The case raises questions about judicial ethics and potential conflicts of interest when judges maintain private business roles.
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