Can America’s Supreme Court police itself?

Few ethical rules apply to the nine justices—and some take liberties even with those

Photo of the United States Supreme Court Justices, 2022. — Image: Getty Images

Sep 7th 2023|New York

OTHER THAN receiving the occasional desk ornament or “coffee and doughnuts”, federal employees in America are barred from accepting gifts worth more than $20 from anyone but friends and family. They must refuse all gifts that “would not have been given had the employee not held the status, authority or duties” of his position. They are advised to consider declining even gifts valued at less than $20 that might prompt a reasonable person to “question the employee’s integrity or impartiality”. Similar strictures to promote public confidence apply to employees of the judicial branch, including all district and circuit-court judges.

This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Coming cleaner”