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April 26 (UPI) -- Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, introduced a bill on Wednesday that would require the Supreme Court to create a code of conduct. The legislation, which comes in the wake of several scandals involving Supreme Court justices failing to disclose expensive gifts, would appoint an official to review potential conflicts and public complaints. The justices are the only judges not bound by an official code of conduct.
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"A healthy democracy requires trust: trust in systems, trust in institutions, and trust in leaders," King said in a statement. "Americans deserve to have confidence that every part of their government -- especially the highest court in the land -- is acting in an ethical manner."
Earlier this month, ProPublica reported Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife had taken numerous trips on Republican donor Harlan Crow's personal jet and super yacht and spent time at his luxury retreats for the past 20 years. Thomas said the trips were not disclosed on his public financial filings because the ethics guidelines in effect at the time had not required it.
On Tuesday, Chief Justice John Roberts declined an invitation from Senate Democrats, to testify about ethics standards at the Supreme Court.
Wednesday's bill, known as Supreme Court Code of Conduct Act, would require the official to describe the information and complaints they received and actions taken to remedy the conduct.
"This person will accept information or complaints from the public that allege violations of the code by a Supreme Court justice, or violations of other federal laws," Murkowski and King said in the release.
