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Two weeks after the November 2024 election of Donald Trump, the Supreme Court instituted a new policy to hide its actions from public scrutiny, according to a recent report in The New York Times. Chief Justice John Roberts told the court’s employees to sign a nondisclosure agreement pledging to keep the court’s internal workings secret.

Although employees of the court have long been compelled to remain silent about what happens behind the scenes, the new nondisclosure agreement requirement is stiffer than prior agreements employees had signed. The new agreement now reportedly threatens legal action against any employee who reveals confidential information.

By contrast, a watered-down ethics rule adopted two years ago says that Supreme Court and other federal judges are not required to publicly disclose their meals or overnight visits at residences owned by private persons or corporations.

“Instead of promoting trust and opting for greater transparency in the ethics of individual justices, the Supreme Court has chosen more secrecy,” Ellen Yaroshefsky, Professor of Legal Ethics at Hofstra Law School, told Truthout, responding to the new nondisclosure agreement policy. “Quite disturbing. In effect: ‘We don’t care; we don’t have to.’”

“Instead of promoting trust and opting for greater transparency in the ethics of individual justices, the Supreme Court has chosen more secrecy.”

This new nondisclosure agreement requirement follows........

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