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In her first broadcast interview<\/a> since joining the nation’s highest court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson<\/strong> talks Donald Trump<\/strong>\u2019s presidential immunity case<\/a>, an enforceable code of ethics<\/a> for her and her<\/a> colleagues<\/a>, and how the last two years on the bench have gone as the first<\/a> ever Black woman to serve as a United States Supreme Court justice.<\/p>\n Since joining the court, CBS Evening News anchor and managing editor Norah O’Donnell<\/strong> pointed out, Jackson has been a keen questioner.<\/p>\n \u201cYou immediately became the most prolific questioner among the justices,\u201d O’Donnell said. \u201cNo one else is even close to you.\u201d Jackson smiled. \u201cWhy do you laugh?\u201d the anchor asked.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause, I was the most prolific questioner as a district court judge as well,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cBecause I have a lot of questions,\u201d she continued, her tone turning serious. \u201cWe have a very complicated legal system, and these issues are hard.\u201d<\/p>\n CBS\u2019s sit-down with Justice Jackson comes as President Joe Biden<\/strong> is, in part, using his remaining time<\/a> in office to push for Supreme Court reform amid historically high levels<\/a> of American distrust in the institution. As of a couple months ago, fewer<\/a> than half of Americans have a favorable opinion of the court, according to a Pew Research Center survey. For Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, that number drops to 24 percent. Black respondents, along with women, were more likely to feel disdain for the court.<\/p>\n In late July, Biden released a three-part plan<\/a> of reforms.<\/p>\n First, pass a \u201cNo One Is Above the Law Amendment,\u201d establishing that \u201cthe Constitution does not confer any immunity from federal criminal indictment, trial, conviction, or sentencing by virtue of previously serving as President\u201d\u2014a direct response to the court\u2019s recent immunity ruling<\/a> where they sided with Trump. Second, term limits for justices set to 18 years. Last, \u201cCongress should pass binding, enforceable conduct and ethics rules that require Justices to disclose gifts, refrain from public political activity, and recuse themselves\u201d from cases where conflicts of interest could arise for themselves or their spouses.<\/p>\n Justice Jackson wrote a scathing dissent in the immunity case, which ruled<\/a> that former presidents have \u201cabsolute\u201d protection from criminal prosecution for \u201cofficial\u201d actions done while in office.<\/p>\n \u201cThe majority of my colleagues seems to have put their trust in our Court\u2019s ability to prevent Presidents from becoming Kings through case-by-case application of the indeterminate standards of their new Presidential accountability paradigm,\u201d she wrote<\/a>. \u201cI fear that they are wrong. But, for all our sakes, I hope that they are right.\u201d<\/p>\n When O’Donnell asked Jackson about this case, the justice responded, \u201cI was concerned about a system that appeared to provide immunity for one individual under one set of circumstances. When we have a criminal justice system that had, ordinarily, treated everyone the same.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you prepared that this election could end up before the Supreme Court?\u201d O’Donnell followed up.<\/p>\n \u201cAs prepared as anyone can be,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cI think there are legal issues that arise out of the political process, and so the Supreme Court has to be prepared to respond if that should be necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n Some of Jackson\u2019s coworkers on the bench have been in hot water recently.<\/p>\n In April of 2023, a ProPublica investigation<\/a> found that, for over two decades, Justice Clarence Thomas<\/strong> was being treated to luxury vacations from billionaire and political donor Harlan Crow<\/strong>. It was the first drop in what has become a stream of reporting about potential ethics violations from Thomas and other justices. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito<\/strong>\u2019s wife, Martha-Ann<\/strong>, has also been in the news for flying<\/a> two flags synonymous with the \u201cStop the Steal\u201d movement\u2014the unfounded right-wing theory that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump by Biden\u2014outside of the couple\u2019s homes in Virginia and New Jersey.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going to comment on other justice\u2019s interpretation of the rules or what they\u2019re doing,\u201d Jackson said during the CBS interview.<\/p>\n In November, all nine justices signed onto the court\u2019s first formal code of conduct governing the ethical behavior of its members, but that agreement doesn\u2019t<\/a> appear to have a clear enforcement mechanism. When asked about her personal code, Jackson responded, \u201cI follow the rules, whatever they are with respect to ethical obligations, and it\u2019s important, in my view, to do so. It really boils down to impartiality\u2014that\u2019s what the rules are about. People are entitled to know if you\u2019re accepting gifts as a judge, so that they can evaluate whether or not your opinions are impartial.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n