Senate Judiciary Committee debating Supreme Court ethics bill amid scrutiny of justices' ties to GOP donors

Washington — The Senate Judiciary Committee is debating legislation Thursday that would require the Supreme Court to adopt an ethics code, following through on its pledge for legislative action after a series of reports about Justice Clarence Thomas' relationship with a Republican real estate magnate.

Called the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act, the bill from lead sponsor Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse is expected to advance out of the committee along party lines. As part of the committee's consideration of the measure, Republicans are poised to introduce dozens of amendments. GOP lawmakers have said the bill is dead on arrival in the full Senate and Republican-controlled House.

Whitehouse's bill, which has backing from more than two dozen Senate Democrats, would require the Supreme Court to adopt a code of conduct for the justices and implement procedures to handle complaints of judicial misconduct. It would also require the high court to impose more rigorous rules for the disclosure of gifts, travel and income received by the justices and their law clerks.