Florida school district and state ed leaders sued over restricting kids book on penguins; Politico, June 20, 2023

 ANDREW ATTERBURY, Politico; Florida school district and state ed leaders sued over restricting kids book on penguins

"A group of students alongside the authors of a children’s book centered on a penguin family with two fathers sued a central Florida school district and top state education officials Tuesday claiming that limiting its availability is a violation of free expression.

The lawsuit, one of several challenging Florida’s policies for launching local book objections, aims to require Lake County officials to make the book — “And Tango Makes Three” — available to all students."

The largely forgotten book ban case that went up to the Supreme Court; The Washington Post, May 20, 2023

Anthony Aycock, The Washington Post ; The largely forgotten book ban case that went up to the Supreme Court

"Record efforts to ban books are fueling fights in Texas, Virginia and across the country. Just this week, a group including free-speech advocates, authors, parents and the publisher Penguin Random House filed a federal lawsuit against a Florida school district over the removal of books covering gender and LGBTQ issues.

Yet only one previous case of a library book ban has ended up before the Supreme Court: Island Trees Union Free School District No. 26 v. Pico. And, outside law school classrooms, it has largely been forgotten."

Exclusive: Southeast Asia to set 'guardrails' on AI with new governance code; Reuters, June 16, 2023

Fanny Potkin and Panu Wongcha-um , Reuters; Exclusive: Southeast Asia to set 'guardrails' on AI with new governance code

"Southeast Asian countries are drawing up governance and ethics guidelines for artificial intelligence (AI) that will impose "guardrails" on the booming technology, five officials with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters...

The other ASEAN countries are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Those governments were not immediately reachable for comment."

G.O.P. Targets Researchers Who Study Disinformation Ahead of 2024 Election; The New York Times, June 19, 2023

 Steven Lee Myers and Sheera Frenkel , The New York Times; G.O.P. Targets Researchers Who Study Disinformation Ahead of 2024 Election

"On Capitol Hill and in the courts, Republican lawmakers and activists are mounting a sweeping legal campaign against universities, think tanks and private companies that study the spread of disinformation, accusing them of colluding with the government to suppress conservative speech online."

Ethical, legal issues raised by ChatGPT training literature; Tech Explore, May 8, 2023

 Peter Grad , Tech Xplore; Ethical, legal issues raised by ChatGPT training literature

""Knowing what books a model has been trained on is critical to assess such sources of bias," they said.

"Our work here has shown that OpenAI models know about books in proportion to their popularity on the web."

Works detected in the Berkeley study include "Harry Potter," "1984," "Lord of the Rings," "Hunger Games," "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," "Fahrenheit 451," "A Game of Thrones" and "Dune."

While ChatGPT was found to be quite knowledgeable about works in the public domain, lesser known works such as Global Anglophone Literature—readings aimed beyond core English-speaking nations that include Africa, Asia and the Caribbean—were largely unknown. Also overlooked were works from the Black Book Interactive Project and Black Caucus Library Association award winners.

"We should be thinking about whose narrative experiences are encoded in these models, and how that influences other behaviors," Bamman, one of the Berkeley researchers, said in a recent Tweet. He added, "popular texts are probably not good barometers of model performance [given] the bias toward sci-fi/fantasy.""

A Fight Over the Right to Repair Cars Takes a Wild Turn; Wired, June 17, 2023

 AARIAN MARSHALL, Wired; A Fight Over the Right to Repair Cars Takes a Wild Turn

"Amid competing letters, statements, and legal paperwork there’s a fundamental question, one that Massachusetts tried to find the answer to: Who owns the reams of data created by today’s increasingly software- and computer-chip-enabled vehicles?"

Artificial intelligence can support architects but lacks empathy and ethics; The Conversation, June 18, 2023

Farzam Sepanta PhD Candidate, Building Engineering, Carleton University , The Conversation; , Artificial intelligence can support architects but lacks empathy and ethics

"Beyond architecture schools, understanding the importance of the shared values, heritage and cultural qualities of a community, or even a person, is essential for architects in coming up with design solutions. 

While AI is capable of analyzing such information, it cannot truly empathize with and understand these different considerations.

At the same time, decisions made by architects carry responsibilities and liabilities. Students learn about sustainability issues, long-term impacts of designs, ecological footprints and other similar topics.

Although AI can be provided with decision-making capabilities, it cannot replace architects’ roles in ethical decision-making process."

What Elizabeth Gilbert's publication delay reveals about the ethics of writing fiction; CBC, June 15, 2023

 Jen Sookfong Lee and Laisha Rosnau , CBC; What Elizabeth Gilbert's publication delay reveals about the ethics of writing fiction

"Elizabeth Gilbert, the bestselling author of Eat Pray Love, is delaying publication of her latest novel after facing a backlash from some Ukrainians who said it's the wrong time to put the novel — which is set in Russia — into the world.

Authors Jen Sookfong Lee and Laisha Rosnau unpack Gilbert's decision, and get into the real-world ethical dilemmas facing fiction writers today."

As more schools target ‘Maus,’ Art Spiegelman’s fears are deepening; The Washington Post, June 14, 2023

Greg Sargent , The Washington Post; As more schools target ‘Maus,’ Art Spiegelman’s fears are deepening

"What alarms Spiegelman about the targeting of “Maus” on specious grounds, he told me, is that its “fable” form was able to reach a broad audience with a story “about dehumanizing people” and “othering.” Spiegelman suggested those looking to restrict books are seeking to limit school curriculums with their own acts of othering.

“Those others can include Asians, Indigenous Americans, Black people, Muslims — not to mention LGBTQ and beyond,” Spiegelman said. The book-removal frenzy, he noted, is “about squelching what’s supposed to happen in school, which is an education that allows people to become one country that can talk to each other with a base of knowledge.”"

To Fight Book Bans, Illinois Passes a Ban on Book Bans; The New York Times, June 13, 2023

Orlando Mayorquin, The New York Times; To Fight Book Bans, Illinois Passes a Ban on Book Bans

"Taking a new tack in the ideological battle over what books children should be able to read, Illinois will prohibit book bans in its public schools and libraries, with Gov. J.B. Pritzker calling the bill that he signed on Monday the first of its kind.

The law, which takes effect next year, was the Democratic-controlled state’s response to a sharp rise in book-banning efforts across the country, especially in Republican-led states, where lawmakers have made it easier to remove library books that political groups deemed objectionable.

“While certain hypocritical governors are banning books written by L.G.B.T.Q. authors, but then claiming censorship when the media fact-checks them, we are showing the nation what it really looks like to stand up for liberty,” Mr. Pritzker, a Democrat, said at a bill-signing event at the Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago.

The law directs public libraries in the state to adopt or write their own versions of a library bill of rights such as the American Library Association’s, which asserts that “Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.”"

From Roald Dahl to Goosebumps, revisions to children’s classics are really about copyright – a legal expert explains; The Conversation, March 7, 2023

Cathay Smith, The Conversation ; From Roald Dahl to Goosebumps, revisions to children’s classics are really about copyright – a legal expert explains

"Over the past decades, authors, copyright owners and publishers have edited and updated children’s books. They have removed racial stereotypes, reflected changing gender and cultural norms and in doing so, maintained their books’ relevance and appeal to the modern reader.

Hugh Lofting’s The Story of Doctor Dolittle (1920), Dr. Seuss’s And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street (1937), Helen Bannerman’s The Story of Little Black Sambo (1899), Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885) and classic children’s books series such as Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew have all changed to keep up with increasing sensitivities to racial, gender and other social stereotypes...

Copyright law grants its holder the exclusive right to edit a copyrighted children’s book and the right to limit publication of a work. This means that during a book’s copyright term, the copyright holder has the right to make edits that maintain the book’s popularity and commercial viability. 

This is true even when an author no longer owns the copyright to their work. In those situations, the copyright holder generally has the right to make edits to the work even without the author’s consent, as Goosebumps author R.L. Stine recently discovered."

Tennis stars get lots of hate online. The French Open gave them AI 'bodyguards'; NPR, June 8, 2023

Adam Bearne, NPR ; Tennis stars get lots of hate online. The French Open gave them AI 'bodyguards'

"What about the people who should be hearing public criticism?

Free speech advocates are worried, however, about technology that screens comments before they are allowed to be posted.

That could lead to something akin to "prior restraint," where the government prevents someone from exercising their right to free speech, said Kate Klonick, a professor at St. John's University in New York...

Boutard said he doesn't see his technology being used that way.

"We don't remove criticism, what we remove is toxicity," he said. "The line is actually pretty clear. If you start throwing insults, being racist, attacking a player, using body-shaming, that's not a criticism, and that's actually toxic to the player."

This Obscure Judicial Agency Could Tighten Ethics for Justices; Bloomberg Law, June 14, 2023

 Sheldon Whitehouse, Bloomberg Law; This Obscure Judicial Agency Could Tighten Ethics for Justices

"As the justices drag their feet on making changes, a little-known agency within the judicial branch of government could have an outsize role in ethical reform. The Judicial Conference of the United States administers laws that Congress has passed regarding judicial ethics. In administering those laws, the Judicial Conference has statutory power to set up rules and procedures that govern both judges and Supreme Court justices.

By statute, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court chairs this body, which comprises chief judges from the circuit courts of appeals and judges from district courts within each circuit.

The Judicial Conference, established by Congress in 1922, meets twice a year to consider policy issues affecting the judiciary, including ethical issues. For example, the Judicial Conference amended the Judicial Code of Conduct in 2019 following allegations from judicial clerks that the federal judiciary needed to do more to protect against workplace harassment.

Contrary to what Supreme Court justices suggested in their recent “Statement on Ethics Principles and Practices,” this power is crystal-clear, and the Supreme Court has long abided by it.

The chief justice’s recent public statement that more needs to be done on Supreme Court ethics signals an important opening for the Judicial Conference, the judiciary’s rule-setter in many of these areas."

Korea issues first AI ethics checklist; The Korea Times, June 14, 2023

Lee Kyung-min, The Korea Times; Korea issues first AI ethics checklist

"The government has outlined the first national standard on how to use artificial intelligence (AI) ethically, in a move to bolster the emerging industry's sustainability and enhance its global presence, the industry ministry said Wednesday.

Korea Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS), an organization affiliated with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, issued a checklist of possible ethical issues and reviewed factors to be referenced and considered by service developers, providers and users.

The considerations specified for report and review include ethical issues arising in the process of collecting and processing data, the designing and development of AI, and the provision of such services to customers. 

The guidelines contain considerations such as transparency, fairness, harmlessness, responsibility, privacy protection, convenience, autonomy, reliability, sustainability and solidarity-enhancing qualities."

Law Professors Testify on Supreme Court Ethics; C-SPAN, June 14, 2023

C-SPAN; Law Professors Testify on Supreme Court Ethics

"Law professors testified on Supreme Court ethics before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts. This hearing followed a ProPublica investigative report revealing Justice Clarence Thomas potentially violated financial disclosure requirements after receiving trips and other things of monetary value from billionaire and Republican donor Harlan Crow. Both men have denied wrongdoing and stressed they’ve been friends for many years. This ProPublica report set off a nationwide debate on Supreme Court ethics."

Much Abuzz About Drones: Drones and Forest Management; American Bar Association (ABA), April 20, 2023

Elliad Dagan, American Bar Association (ABA) ; Much Abuzz About Drones: Drones and Forest Management

"Despite these on-paper benefits, widespread use of drones in forest management might bring myriad new issues. For example, access to previously inaccessible areas will provide more complete data, but it will also disturb what little habitat has managed to avoid human interference. "

National Archives refutes claims Trump had two years to go through presidential records in rare public statement; CNN, June 9, 2023

Jamie Gangel, Zachary Cohen and Elizabeth Stuart, CNN; National Archives refutes claims Trump had two years to go through presidential records in rare public statement

"The National Archives is pushing back on claims made by former President Donald Trump, his lawyers and his allies over his retention of classified documents, for which he now faces a federal indictment."

21st-century editors should keep their hands off of 20th-century books; The Washington Post, June 12, 2023

 Editorial Board, The Washington Post; 21st-century editors should keep their hands off of 20th-century books

"A number of beloved novels, for both children and adults, are being “retouched” — updated to remove overtly racist, sexist or otherwise offensive language. Publishers and literary estates — including those of best-selling mystery writer Agatha Christie, children’s author Roald Dahl and James Bond creator Ian Fleming — argue these changes will ensure, in the words of the Dahl estate, that “wonderful stories and characters continue to be enjoyed by all children today.”

But it’s a threat to free expression, to historical honesty and, indeed, to readers themselves for contemporary editors to comb through works of fiction written at different moments and rewrite them for today’s mind-set, particularly with little explanation of process or limiting principles. The trend raises uncomfortable questions about authorship and authenticity, and it ignores the reality that texts are more than consumer goods or sources of entertainment in the present. They are also cultural artifacts that attest to the moment in which they were written — the good and the bad...

Literature is often meant to be provocative. Stripping it of any potential to offend dilutes its strength, especially in a moment when there is a concerted effort in this country to limit what can be read and taught. Publishers need not reprint books with no acknowledgment of potentially offensive contents. They can treat the publication of such texts as opportunities to explain why they read the way they do, in introductions and in footnotes. And, if publishers see little option but to change wording, they should at least explain to readers what they are changing and why."

If the Supreme Court Won’t Fix Its Ethics Mess, Congress Should; The New York Times, June 12, 2023

 Erwin Chemerinsky, The New York Times; If the Supreme Court Won’t Fix Its Ethics Mess, Congress Should

"Congress should not wait on the court any longer. It has the authority to hold justices to a code of conduct. If it fails to do so, it will share responsibility for the ethics mess at the Supreme Court...

The case for the Code of Conduct for federal judges is made succinctly in its first sentence: “An independent and honorable judiciary is indispensable to justice in our society.” That should apply equally to the nation’s highest court."

Teaching the ethics of data science through immersive video; Cornell Chronicle, June 6, 2023

 By Sandi Mulconry, Cornell Chronicle; Teaching the ethics of data science through immersive video

"In “Nobody’s Fault,” students experience what it’s like to be a data scientist dealing with a moral conflict. The video stops from time to time, asking viewers how they would handle the tricky situations being depicted. As they make decisions, the plot shifts, and they see the consequences unfold – and how they affect an unemployed woman who can’t get the facial recognition application to work.

After a series of unhappy outcomes, the scene rewinds, better choices are offered, and students see how things could have been different for the woman seeking her benefits.

“The video gave us real-world experience with ethical dilemmas,” said Britt Snider, M.I.L.R. ’24. “It enhanced our learning of the subject by showing us in real time the consequences of our decisions – and how something as seemingly innocuous as a few percentage points could cause such a large consequence to society overall.”"

5 ways EU’s ethics body just might work — or not; Politico, June 8, 2023

SARAH WHEATON, Politico; 5 ways EU’s ethics body just might work — or not

"Here are five ways the Commission’s proposal could have teeth — and how critics contend it could be defanged."

Book bans are on the rise. Biden is naming a point person to address that; NPR, June 8, 2023

 Franco Ordoñez, NPR; Book bans are on the rise. Biden is naming a point person to address that

"President Biden on Thursday will announce new actions to try to address discrimination against LGBTQI+ Americans — including the appointment of a new point person at the Education Department to address an increase in book bans."

The ChatGPT Lawyer Explains Himself; The New York Times, June 8, 2023

Benjamin Weiser and Nate Schweber, The New York Times; The ChatGPT Lawyer Explains Himself

"Irina Raicu, who directs the internet ethics program at Santa Clara University, said this week that the Avianca case clearly showed what critics of such models have been saying, “which is that the vast majority of people who are playing with them and using them don’t really understand what they are and how they work, and in particular what their limitations are.”

Rebecca Roiphe, a New York Law School professor who studies the legal profession, said the imbroglio has fueled a discussion about how chatbots can be incorporated responsibly into the practice of law.

“This case has changed the urgency of it,” Professor Roiphe said. “There’s a sense that this is not something that we can mull over in an academic way. It’s something that has affected us right now and has to be addressed.”"

How ethics is becoming a key part of research in tech; The Stanford Daily, June 7, 2023

Cassandra Huff, The Stanford Daily; How ethics is becoming a key part of research in tech

"Building off the IRB model, in 2020 the Ethics in Society Review (ESR) board was created under the McCoy Family Center, the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) and Human-Centered AI (HAI) to make ethics a core part of research in computer science. The ESR acts similarly to the IRB by examining ethical concerns to minimize potential harm of the research before a project is approved for funding.

This process is integrated into grant proposal applications in HAI. After HAI reviews the technical merits of a proposal, it is handed off to the ESR, which assigns an interdisciplinary panel of faculty to review each of them. This panel acts as advisors on ethical issues to identify challenges and provide additional guidance on the ethical component of the research. Once completed, the panel will either release research funds, or recommend more iterations of the review process.

The ESR is not meant to determine whether the proposal should be funded, but rather to analyze the unintended consequences of the research prior to the start of the project. In discussing what ESR does, Betsy Rajala, Program Director at CASBS said, “Everytime you touch research these questions come up and [it’s better to] think about them sooner rather than later.”"

Justice Clarence Thomas delays filing financial disclosure amid increased ethics scrutiny; NBC News, June 7, 2023

 Lawrence Hurley, NBC News; Justice Clarence Thomas delays filing financial disclosure amid increased ethics scrutiny

"Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has asked for an extension in filing his annual financial disclosure report amid increased scrutiny of his ethical obligations.

Thomas, as well as fellow conservative Justice Samuel Alito, asked for a delay in filing, which is allowed under federal law, a spokesman for the judiciary said.

Other justices did submit their annual financial disclosure reports listing earnings, assets, gifts and stock holdings on time. Those reports were posted online on Wednesday."

The ethics of artificial intelligence, and what to beware of as applications of AI expand; Maine Public, June 1, 2023

 Jennifer Rooks, Cindy Han, Jonathan P. Smith, Maine Public; The ethics of artificial intelligence, and what to beware of as applications of AI expand

"The White House recently released guidelines for federally backed research on artificial intelligence (AI). Our panel discusses the ethical questions that arise as AI advances—such as the controversial ChatGPT technology—become widely used. Can AI be a beneficial tool, or does it open up dangerous avenues for fake news, plagiarism and other negative applications?

Panelists:

Crystal Hall, associate professor, Digital Humanities; director, Digital and Computational Studies Program, Bowdoin College; focus on digital humanities
Eric Chown, Sarah and James Bowdoin professor, Digital and Computational Studies, Bowdoin College; focus on humans and machines
Fernando Nascimento, assistant professor, Digital and Computational Studies, Bowdoin College; focus on ethics"

Librarians sue Arkansas state over law banning them from giving ‘obscene’ books to children; The Guardian, May 31, 2023

 Sarah Shaffi, The Guardian; Librarians sue Arkansas state over law banning them from giving ‘obscene’ books to children

"The American Library Association and the Authors Guild are among a group of organisations bringing a lawsuit against the state of Arkansas over a law which makes it a crime for librarians to give children books with “obscene” content.

The lawsuit involves 17 plaintiffs, including the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS), the Association of American Publishers and the American Booksellers Association.

The groups are aiming to challenge Senate bill 81, which exposes librarians who provide “obscene materials” to children to criminal liability. The law, part of Act 372 of 2023, is due go to come into force on 1 August."

A lawyer used ChatGPT to cite bogus cases. What are the ethics?; Reuters, May 30, 2023

Karen Sloan, Reuters; A lawyer used ChatGPT to cite bogus cases. What are the ethics?

"A New York lawyer is facing potential sanctions over an error-riddled brief he drafted with help from ChatGPT.

It's a scenario legal ethics experts have warned about since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in November, marking a new era for AI that can produce human-like responses based on vast amounts of data.

Steven Schwartz of Levidow, Levidow & Oberman faces a June 8 sanctions hearing before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel after he admitted to using ChatGPT for a brief in his client's personal injury case against Avianca Airlines. The brief cited six non-existent court decisions."

Belarusian Nobel peace prize winner moved to brutal prison; AP in Tallinn via The Guardian, May 24, 2023

AP in Tallinn via The Guardian; Belarusian Nobel peace prize winner moved to brutal prison

"The Nobel peace prize laureate Ales Bialiatski has been transferred to a notoriously brutal prison in Belarus and has not been heard from in a month, his wife has said.

Natalia Pinchuk said that Bialiatski, who is serving a 10-year sentence, has been kept in an information blackout since his transfer to the N9 colony for repeat offenders in the city of Gorki, where inmates are beaten and subjected to hard labour.

“The authorities create unbearable conditions for Ales and keep him in strict informational isolation. There is not a single letter from him for a month, nor does he receive my letters,” Pinchuk said on Wednesday...

The harsh punishment of Bialiatski and three of his colleagues was a response to massive protests over a 2020 election that gave the authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, a further term in office...

All four activists have maintained their innocence, according to the Human Rights Center Viasna, which was founded by Bialiatski. He shared the 2022 peace prize with Memorial, a prominent Russian human rights group, and the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties."

For One Group of Teenagers, Social Media Seems a Clear Net Benefit; The New York Times, May 24, 2023

 Claire Cain Miller, The New York Times; For One Group of Teenagers, Social Media Seems a Clear Net Benefit

Despite the surgeon general’s warning about its risks for youth in general, researchers and teenagers say it can be a “lifeline” for L.G.B.T.Q. youth.

"The surgeon general’s warning Tuesday about social media’s “profound risk of harm” to young people included a significant qualification. For some of them, the warning said, social media can be beneficial to health in important ways.

For one group in particular — the growing share of young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer — social media can be a lifeline, researchers and teenagers say. Especially for those growing up in unwelcoming families or communities, social media often provides a sense of identity and belonging at a crucial age, much earlier than for many L.G.B.T.Q. people in previous generations.

“It’s a lifeline for folks to receive information and to really see that they are not alone, and there are so many people like them,” said Jessica Fish, who studies L.G.B.T.Q. youth and their families at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. “They can feel some sense of connection, and realize there is a place for them.”"

Driver’s Licenses, Addresses, Photos: Inside How TikTok Shares User Data; The New York Times, May 24, 2023

 Sapna Maheshwari and Ryan Mac, The New York Times; Driver’s Licenses, Addresses, Photos: Inside How TikTok Shares User Data

"The user materials on Lark raise questions about TikTok’s data and privacy practices and show how intertwined it is with ByteDance, just as the video app faces mounting scrutiny over its potential security risks and ties to China. Last week, Montana’s governor signed a bill banning TikTok in the state as of Jan. 1. The app has also been prohibited at universities and government agencies and by the military."

With Climate Panel as a Beacon, Global Group Takes On Misinformation; The New York Times, May 24, 2023

 Steven Lee Myers, The New York Times; With Climate Panel as a Beacon, Global Group Takes On Misinformation

"The findings suggest that the most effective responses to false information online are labeling content as “disputed” or flagging sources of state media and publishing corrective information, typically in the form of debunking rumors and disinformation.

Far less certain, the report argues, is the effectiveness of public and government efforts to pressure social media giants like Facebook and Twitter to take down content, as well as internal company algorithms that suspend or play down offending accounts. The same is true of media literacy programs that train people to identify sources of misinformation.

“We’re not saying that information literacy programs don’t work,” said Sebastián Valenzuela, a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile who oversaw the study. “What we’re saying is that we need more evidence that they work.”

The panel’s inspirational model, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, was founded in 1988, a time when climate change was equally contested. Its scientists, working under the auspices of the United Nations, toiled for decades before its assessments and recommendations came to be recognized as scientific consensus."

Chief Justice Says Supreme Court Is Working to Address Ethics Questions; The New York Times, May 24, 2023

 Adam Liptak, The New York Times; Chief Justice Says Supreme Court Is Working to Address Ethics Questions

"Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said on Tuesday night that he and his colleagues on the Supreme Court were continuing to take steps to address questions about the justices’ ethical standards amid a barrage of allegations of misconduct and a push by some lawmakers to tighten the rules.

“I want to assure people that I am committed to making certain that we as a court adhere to the highest standards of conduct,” he said. “We are continuing to look at things we can do to give practical effect to that commitment, and I am confident that there are ways to do that consistent with our status as an independent branch of government and the Constitution’s separation of powers.”

Chief Justice Roberts turned down an invitation last month to testify before a Senate committee, citing the “exceedingly rare” nature of such an appearance, as lawmakers push for ethics changes at the court. A series of revelations about unreported gifts, travel and real estate deals between Justice Clarence Thomas and Harlan Crow, a Texas billionaire and Republican donor, has shaken the court, though all nine justices have defended their existing rules."