Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson told CBS she doesn’t have a problem with an enforceable ethics code for the country’s highest court.
Topline
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she is “considering supporting” a binding ethics code for the Supreme Court and believes people are entitled to know if justices are getting gifts—as several judges on the nation’s highest court face ethics controversies.Key Facts
In an interview on “CBS Sunday Morning,” Jackson declined to get into specifics about what she would or wouldn’t support regarding “particular policy proposals,” but said she doesn’t “have any problem with an enforceable code.”
Jackson said it “really boils down to impartiality,” saying: “People are entitled to know if you’re accepting gifts as a judge so that they can evaluate whether or not your opinions are impartial.”
Jackson’s comments come shortly after President Joe Biden outlined his proposal for Supreme Court reforms, including a binding code of conduct that would require justices to disclose gifts, term limits and a constitutional amendment removing presidential immunity for crimes committed by former presidents during their time in office.
Crucial Quote
“A binding code of ethics is pretty standard for judges,” Jackson said. “And so I guess the question is, ‘Is the Supreme Court any different?’ And I guess I have not seen a persuasive reason as to why the court is different than the other courts.
