Roberts knew about recent ethics scandals involving Supreme Court Justices, particularly Justice Alito, who is criticized for taking a luxury fishing trip with a Republican donor whose cases have appeared before the court. The report, initially broken by ProPublica, highlights a pattern of questionable behavior among justices, including Justice Thomas, who has allegedly accepted luxury trips and hidden these dealings.

The Supreme Court lacks a binding code of conduct, which raises concerns about the integrity of justices who decide on critical legal issues affecting citizens' rights. Justice Alito's claims of adhering to ethical standards are dismissed as disingenuous, suggesting he has crossed ethical boundaries rather than merely approaching them.

Justices should disclose their affiliations and recuse themselves from cases involving donors. Chief Justice Roberts failed to enforce ethical guidelines or take meaningful action in response to the scandals. Public trust in the Supreme Court is said to be at an all-time low, particularly following the controversial rulings by recent Trump appointees, which have further eroded confidence in the court's independence and integrity.

Chief Justice John Roberts, known for attempting to find a middle ground between justices, did not engage with the liberal justices in this case. Instead, the decision was a straightforward 6-3 vote along partisan lines, with the six conservative justices siding with Trump.

Roberts had previously emphasized a non-partisan approach to judicial matters but, during this case, he focused solely on negotiating within his conservative colleagues. Justice Amy Coney Barrett played a notable role, seeking some middle ground while still supporting the majority opinion. However, she diverged on specific aspects of the ruling, particularly regarding how evidence related to official acts could be used in other legal contexts.