Jane Roberts Becomes the Latest SCOTUS Spouse to Raise Questions about Potential Conflicts of Interest

Brett Edkins, Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs for Stand Up America, issued the following statement responding to reports that Chief Justice Roberts’ wife, Jane Sullivan Roberts, has potentially earned millions of dollars from law firms with business before the Supreme Court:

“No wonder public trust in the Supreme Court is at an all-time low. Jane Roberts is just the latest Supreme Court spouse to raise questions about potential conflicts of interest and influence peddling before the nation’s highest court. While she did not join a seditious conspiracy to overthrow the government, as Ginni Thomas did, her actions may nonetheless undermine Chief Justice Roberts’ impartiality when his wife’s clients argue before the Court.

“It’s clear that the ultraconservative justices in particular cannot be trusted to hold themselves to the same ethical standard as other federal judges. It’s time for Congress to step up and pass meaningful reforms to fix the Supreme Court, including a code of ethics that would require justices to recuse themselves from cases where they have an actual or apparent conflict of interest.”