Chief Justice Roberts Defends Supreme Court's Ethics Standards and Independence

Chief Justice John Roberts of the US Supreme Court has pledged to maintain the "highest standards" of ethical conduct among the justices. Roberts made the comments at an awards dinner in Washington, where he also rejected calls for the court to be investigated over gifts given to Justice Clarence Thomas by Republican mega-donor Harlan Crow. Crow has refused to cooperate with the Senate judiciary committee, which has asked for a list of gifts given to Thomas. The controversy has led to calls for Thomas to resign or be removed from the court.