Congress has clashed with Supreme Court justices over ethics in the past

Senate Democrats are promising to pursue stronger ethics rules for the Supreme Court in the wake of reports that Justice Clarence Thomas participated in luxury vacations and a real estate deal with a top GOP donor.

Jacquelyn Martin / Jacquelyn Martin

When Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin this week asked the chief justice of the Supreme Court to give the committee an update on the ethics of the court, he spoke of “a steady stream of revelations regarding Justices falling short” of ethical standards.

Durbin did not mention the shortcomings of any justice in particular.

He did not have to.