A proposed bill aimed at establishing a code of ethics for Supreme Court justices was rejected in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, as Republicans delayed the progress of the measure.
The bill, introduced by Rhode Island Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse, sought to implement a code of conduct for Supreme Court justices and a mechanism for investigating breaches of the code. It would also mandate justices to provide explanations for recusals.
“The highest judicial body in the country cannot and should not operate with the lowest ethical standards,” expressed Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat and the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina and others from his party voted against the bill, arguing that it exceeded the legislative branch’s authority and was a politically motivated response to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022.
“I believe this bill is not primarily about ethics but rather about abortion,” remarked Louisiana Senator John Kennedy on Wednesday.
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The ethics bill was initially introduced in the Senate in 2023 but faced opposition from both parties.
Later in the same year, the Supreme Court implemented its own nonbinding code of conduct. Although based on the code for lower court judges, it lacks a mechanism for holding justices accountable for violating the rules.
On the other hand, Democrats in the U.S. House Of Representatives are drafting their own court ethics legislation. While details are scarce, it may include provisions to impose a $50 gift limit on Supreme Court justices, aligning with the restrictions for House members.
