Senate Democrats have accused the US Supreme Court of having "the lowest ethical standards" of any court in the country. They have now called for tighter rules on the nine justices, but Republicans have resisted, accusing Democrats of being bitter over recent conservative rulings. The debate started after a wave of media reports on entanglements between two conservative justices and parties with interests in court cases. These involved Clarence Thomas accepting luxury travel and a real estate deal from Republican mega-donor Harlan Crow and Neil Gorsuch selling a property to a law firm executive with business before the court, with neither party disclosing their interactions fully.

The Supreme Court's highest court should not have the lowest ethical standards', said Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, Democratic senator Dick Durbin. Meanwhile, conservative former federal judge J. Michael Luttig has warned the Supreme Court to subject itself to the highest professional and ethical standards that would render the court beyond reproach and called on the court to enact a code of conduct. If the Supreme Court does not take such action, he cautioned, Congress has "the power under the Constitution" to prescribe ethical standards of conduct for the court.