The Supreme Court announced on Monday its adoption of a 14-page code of ethics in response to recent criticism surrounding reports about undisclosed gifts and travel received by some members of the high court. In a statement, the court expressed the intention to dispel the misconception that the justices regarded themselves as unrestricted by any ethics rules.

However, critics argue that the lack of an enforcement mechanism in the code may not be sufficient to address their concerns, as they firmly assert that the justices must be held accountable for alleged ethical lapses. Scrutiny on the court intensified earlier this year after ProPublica revealed that Justice Clarence Thomas had accepted luxury trips from Republican megadonor Harlan Crow for years without disclosing them on his annual financial reports. Further financial ties between Justice Thomas and Crow were uncovered, including Crow's purchase of a property in Georgia where Thomas' mother resides rent-free. The justice claimed he had received legal advice that the travel expenses were not required to be disclosed.

ProPublica later exposed that Justice Samuel Alito had also failed to disclose a luxury fishing trip in Alaska with billionaire Paul Singer, whose hedge fund had business before the court. In response to these incidents, the newly established code comprises five canons of conduct. These canons direct each justice to uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary, avoid impropriety or the appearance of impropriety, perform duties fairly and impartially, engage in outside activities consistent with the obligations of the office, and refrain from political activity.

While the justices sought to downplay the code's significance, asserting that it largely reflects principles they have long regarded as guiding their conduct, they acknowledged that the absence of a code in recent years has led to the misunderstanding that they consider themselves exempt from ethics rules, unlike other jurists in the country.

It remains to be seen whether the code will appease Senate Democrats, who have called for ethics reform and initiated an investigation following the revelations. The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote in the coming days on whether to authorize subpoenas for Harlan Crow and judicial activist Leonard Leo, both influential conservatives, after they purportedly refused to cooperate with the ethics probe.

Spokespeople for Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Senate Budget Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the new code. On the other hand, Republicans in Congress vehemently oppose any attempts to establish ethics standards for Supreme Court justices. They accuse Democrats of trying to undermine the reputation of the high court, which currently consists of a conservative majority of justices.

Recent rulings on divisive issues such as abortion and gun control have drawn ire from Democrats and progressives, leading to voter-led pushback on the state and local level. Just minutes prior to the release of the new code, GOP Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee accused Democrats of attempting to pressure conservative justices into aligning their rulings with Democratic preferences.

This is a breaking news story, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.