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The bill being introduced by Angus King and Lisa Murkowski,
called the Supreme Court Code of Conduct Act, would require the
court to name an official in charge of reviewing any possible
violations of the code or federal laws by Supreme Court
justices, the newspaper said.
The official would process public complaints or tips and publish
a report every year on the court's website, detailing any
allegations and actions taken in response.
The bill also states that the Supreme Court marshal, in
consultation with the court and the appointed official, could
commission federal personnel or businesses to assist with
investigations into possible misconduct by the justices or their
staff, the newspaper added.
Senators King and Murkowski did not immediately respond to a
request from Reuters for comment.
Among recent media questions about full disclosure of financial
activity by Supreme Court justices were some raised by news
outlet ProPublica detailing relations between Justice Clarence
Thomas and Dallas businessman Harlan Crow, including luxury
travel paid for by Crow.
Thomas, the longest-serving of the court's nine justices,
defended the trips, saying in an April 7 statement that he had
been advised he was not required to report that type of
"personal hospitality," and has always sought to comply with
disclosure guidelines.
In a statement to ProPublica, Crow said he had "never sought to
influence Justice Thomas on any legal or political issue."
(Reporting by Jyoti Narayan in Bengaluru; Editing by Shri
Navaratnam, Robert Birsel)
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