Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in favor of regulating the Supreme Court and a code of ethics for judges
According to the Joe Biden-nominated justice, "people have a right to know whether a judge is accepting gifts, so they can evaluate whether his or her decisions are truly impartial."
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
In a recent televised interview, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Joe Biden nominee, spoke out in favor of considering an "enforceable code of ethics" for justices on the highest court that would mandate public disclosure of what gifts a justice accepts for evaluate "whether or not his or her opinions are impartial."
A code of ethics at the Supreme Court
During her appearance on CBS News Sunday Morning, Jackson addressed the possibility of implementing a code of ethics, noting that in her view there is no compelling reason for the Supreme Court to operate under different rules than other courts.
"A binding code of ethics is pretty standard for judges, and so I guess the question is 'Is the Supreme Court any different?'" she mused. She did not endorse any specific proposal, though.
Jackson's comments, while not referring to a particular justice or court, come at a time when the Supreme Court faces rigorous scrutiny over the lack of disclosure of certain lavish gifts and trips by some justices. A prominent example is that of Judge Clarence Thomas, who accepted gifts and luxury trips from Republican donor Harlan Crow, without officially declaring them.
In response to these reports and concerns, the Biden Administration proposed a series of reform, including the implementation of an "enforceable" code of ethics for the Supreme Court. The proposal seeks to hold justices on the highest court to rules on disclosure of gifts, financial transactions and political activities which already apply to other federal judges.
"The people are entitled to know if you are accepting gifts as a judge so that they can evaluate whether or not your opinions are impartial," the judge said.
Jackson's financial disclosures
It was also recently revealed that the judge received a gift of $3,712 of four Beyoncé concert tickets. However, the statement does not specify which concert Jackson attended or the reason she was gifted the tickets. In addition, Jackson received $10,000 in artwork and a $900,000 advance for her upcoming book, which contributed to her having the highest outside income among Supreme Court justices last year.
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