Supreme Court Implements Ethics Code Amidst Controversy

The US Supreme Court has unveiled its first formal code of conduct, addressing ethical behavior for its nine justices. The code comes in response to months of pressure and media reports revealing undisclosed luxury trips and connections with wealthy benefactors. Critics have expressed concerns about the lack of an enforcement mechanism. The code prohibits outside relationships from influencing official conduct, restricts participation in fundraising, and emphasizes limits on accepting gifts. The court's statement accompanying the code clarifies that it aims to dispel the perception that the justices are unrestricted by ethics rules. Senate Democrats have pursued legislation to mandate an ethics code for the Supreme Court, and while some view the code as a step in the right direction, others believe it falls short of the ethical standards applied to other federal judges.