United States Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has disclosed that she would support an “enforceable” ethics code for Supreme Court justices.
In her first sit-down interview since being appointed to the Court, Brown Jackson said: “I follow the rules, whatever they are, with respect to ethical obligations. And it’s important in my view to do so. It really boils down to impartiality. That’s what the rules are about. 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 spoke with CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell.
The Supreme Court issued a new “Code of Conduct” in November following months of heightened scrutiny from Democrats pushing for new ethics laws for the high court. Justice Clarence Thomas came under fire for failing to disclose gifts from Republican mega-donor Harlan Crow and Justice Samuel Alito has been criticized for flying an upside-down American flag that flew at their Virginia home in the weeks following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Asked specifically if she would respond to the reporting surrounding Justice Thomas, she said, “I’m not going to comment on other justices’ interpretations of the rules or what they’re doing.”
“A binding code of ethics is pretty standard for judges,” Jackson told O’Donnell. “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.”
O’Donnell asked Jackson if she would support an enforcement mechanism for the court.
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“I am considering supporting it as a general matter. I’m not going to get into commenting on particular policy proposals. But from my perspective, I don’t have any problem with an enforceable code.”
Jackson was gifted four concert tickets by pop superstar Beyoncé valued at $3,700, according to a financial disclosure.
The Biden appointed justice also disclosed a $900,000 advance for her upcoming memoir “Lovely One” out in September, and two gifts of artwork in her chambers worth $12,500.
Jackson also spoke out about the Trump immunity decision that the court handed down in July.
“I was concerned about a system that appeared to provide immunity for one individual under one set of circumstances, when we have a criminal justice system that had ordinarily treated everyone the same,” she said.
Jackson, who was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Biden in 2022, wrote a dissenting opinion in the Supreme Court’s ruling. The Supreme Court said in July that a former president has substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts committed while in office, but not for unofficial acts.
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