Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse demands more transparency on gifts, food, lodging and entertainment that federal judges and Supreme Court justices receive

• Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse sent a letter to an agency demanding more information on ethics rules for federal judges.
• "Transparency is critical at all levels of government, and the courts are no exception," Whitehouse said.
• Unlike lower federal judges, Supreme Court justices are not bound by a code of conduct. 

A federal judge could be invited to stay at a wealthy entrepreneur's vacation home without ever being required to disclose that trip and the value of it. It's a so-called hospitality loophole, as Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse has put it, which he's advocated to close in an effort to avoid potential conflicts of interest for federal judges, including Supreme Court justices, who make consequential decisions that shape American law and life.