Supreme Court Ethics Rules Allow Justices to Rule on Cases Affecting Industries That Pay Them

A watchdog analysis found Justice Alito gained up to $2.9 million from oil and gas holdings since 2005. Yet Supreme Court ethics rules require recusal only when a justice holds stock in a company specifically named in a case — not when ties exist to the broader industry. Alito refused to step aside from a October 5 fossil fuel case brought by Suncor and ExxonMobil, citing this rule.