Senators King and Murkowski Introduce Legislation to Require Supreme Court to Implement Code of Conduct and Designate Official to Review Potential Conflicts of Interest

A bipartisan pair of senators have introduced legislation that would require the Supreme Court to implement a code of conduct and designate an official to review potential conflicts of interest. The bill, called the Supreme Court Code of Conduct Act, was introduced by Sens. Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with the Democrats, and Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska. The bill sets a one-year deadline from the date of its enactment for the high court to put in place a code of conduct and make it publicly available on their website.

The introduction of the bill comes after Justice Clarence Thomas came under scrutiny for trips he accepted from a Republican real estate magnate. In response, a statement signed by all nine Supreme Court justices was released, stressing their commitment to ethics principles. However, legal ethics experts have criticized the statement for failing to respond to recent calls for the court to adopt a binding code of conduct.

In a letter from Chief Justice John Roberts to Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., made public Tuesday, Roberts declined an invitation to testify at a committee hearing on the Supreme Court’s ethics rules. The letter was attached to the statement from the justices.

The Supreme Court Code of Conduct Act is an important step in ensuring that the Supreme Court is held to the highest ethical standards. It is hoped that the bill will be passed and that the court will take the necessary steps to implement a code of conduct and make it publicly available.