Officials had to force their way into Stephen Moore's home in 2013 after he failed to pay alimony

Following requests from media, a judge on Friday reopened court documents to the public that show that Stephen Moore, President Trump's planned nominee for the Federal Reserve Board, was found in contempt of court in 2013 for failing to pay his ex-wife, Allison Moore, $330,000 in alimony and child support.

A court in Fairfax, Virginia ordered Moore to sell his home to acquire the money he legally owed his ex-wife but had failed to pay for months. Moore ended up paying $217,000 after the court sent several police officers, two realtors, and a locksmith to his home to change the locks and prepare the property for sale. Allison Moore said the amount was enough and retreated from her demand that her ex-husband sell the home.

Moore, a former economics writer for The Wall Street Journal, has come under scrutiny from Democratic senators since Trump said he intended to nominate Moore for a vacancy on the Federal Reserve's board of governors. They have requested detailed reports on his finances and the Internal Revenue Service is also pursuing $75,000 in taxes from him, which he is said to owe from 2014. Moore has accused the media of trying to stir up controversy around him.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Economists have also criticized Trump's decision to tab Moore, though their reasoning is less about ethical holdups. They believe he lacks the academic prowess for their job. Moore will need to be confirmed by the Senate.