Supreme Court's Ethics Rules Update Lacks Tangible Action

The US Supreme Court issued a rare joint statement on ethics practices, but it stopped short of adopting an enforceable code of conduct. The statement largely echoes previous commitments the justices have made about financial disclosures and recusal practices, and it says the justices “consult” various non-binding sources when faced with ethical issues. The push for ethics reform at the Supreme Court is intensifying after recent revelations about Justice Clarence Thomas’ relationship with a Republican megadonor and Justice Neil Gorsuch’s sale of a property to the head of a law firm with business before the court. Senators have introduced a bill that would require the high court to adopt a code of conduct within a year.