In his latest yearly report, Chief Justice John Roberts of the U.S. Supreme Court has taken a surprisingly passive approach to the recent ethical controversies plaguing the nation’s highest court. The report, released this week, contained no evaluation of the ethics rules nor any hint of concern over numerous reports indicating potential ethical misconduct by some of the Supreme Court’s justices.
At a time when ethical scandals across the court have become increasingly frequent, Roberts’ report paints a picture of indifference to the ongoing ethics issues. Roberts was criticized for his failure to address the conflicts of interest that have recently been raised in regards to Supreme Court Justices Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett. Criticisms were also leveled at Roberts for his perceived unwillingness to publicly weigh in on reports which suggest that Justice Kavanaugh is facing ethics scrutiny from an outside investigations firm.
Roberts, however, did address a range of other issues, most notably the need to modernize the court’s administrative procedures. He emphasized the need to improve the court’s ability to manage the multiple tasks it faces on a daily basis in his report. Roberts also acknowledged the need for more transparency and better communication with the public, a key demand of legal observers and some activist groups.
Overall, Roberts has taken an extremely cautious course in his latest report. He appears reluctant to comment on the ethical questions facing the court, despite the ongoing controversies centered around the issues. Roberts doesn’t seem willing to make any definitive statements on whether or not the recent controversies have had an impact on the court’s integrity.
At a time when the Supreme Court is facing a crisis of public confidence due to ethical issues, it is understandable that Roberts has taken a backseat approach to addressing any potential ethical dilemmas. Yet with the court’s ongoing scandals and increased demands for greater transparency, it’s unclear if Roberts’ approach is a wise one. Only time will tell if Roberts’ lack of action in this report will pay dividends or lead to further troubles.
