Analysis: Chief Justice Roberts has a Clarence Thomas problem

WASHINGTON — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has always said he believes ethical standards at the Supreme Court should depend not on clear and binding rules, but on the “good judgment” of the nine justices.

That assertion is being tested as never before by Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife, Ginni, whose willingness to accept gifts has turned an uncomfortable spotlight on Roberts and the high court.

Roberts has held himself out as the model of an independent, nonpartisan jurist during his 17-year tenure.

He has avoided political or ideological gatherings, including the Federalist Society, the favorite forum for conservative judges and lawyers. In his personal and public behavior, he appears to follow the “Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges” — first adopted in 1973 — which states that federal judges “should act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.”

But equally important to Roberts has been maintaining the strict independence of the Supreme Court. And with each new revelation about Thomas, those ideals