Justice Alito's Jan. 6 flag problem grows
The justice’s beach house displayed a flag popular with Capitol rioters, calling his impartiality into question
What happened
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, already facing criticism over an upside-down U.S. flag flown outside his Virginia home in January 2021, had another flag popular with Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol rioters displayed at his New Jersey beach house last summer, The New York Times said Wednesday. Alito said last week his wife had raised the inverted flag amid political arguments with neighbors and he "had no involvement whatsoever." He declined to comment on the "Appeal to Heaven" flag flown outside his beach house.
Who said what
The Revolutionary War–era white-and-evergreen "Appeal to Heaven" flag had fallen "into obscurity" until it was recently adopted by Christian nationalists supporting Donald Trump and a "religious strand of the 'Stop the Steal' campaign" to keep him in office after he lost, the Times said. "Judges are not supposed to give any impression of bias" or partisanship.
"At this point it is difficult to make any reasonable case for Alito's impartiality," Noah Bookbinder, the president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said to The Associated Press. At minimum, "he must not sit on cases about the 2020 election or the insurrection he appears to have supported."
What next?
Just as fellow conservative Justice Clarence Thomas "has ignored calls to recuse himself from cases related to the 2020 election" because his wife tried to help overturn the results, "there has been no indication Alito would step aside from the cases," the AP said. "Public trust in the Supreme Court, meanwhile, recently hit its lowest point in at least 50 years."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
'America's adversaries don't share the dream of a nuclear-free world'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Tesla investors back Musk's $48B payday
Speed Read The company's shareholders approved a controversial compensation package for CEO Elon Musk
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump visits GOP Capitol Hill, trashes Milwaukee
Speed Read The presidential candidate made a series of odd comments while meeting with House and Senate Republicans
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump visits GOP Capitol Hill, trashes Milwaukee
Speed Read The presidential candidate made a series of odd comments while meeting with House and Senate Republicans
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court rejects abortion pill challenge
Speed Read Access to mifepristone has been preserved, though some think it is only a temporary victory
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'We must instead learn how to do better science faster'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
G7 summit opens with Russian cash for Kyiv
Speed Read Leaders from the G7 group agreed to give Ukraine $50B backed by frozen Russian assets
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Top Sunak aide Craig Williams bet on general election date
Speed Read Parliamentary private secretary to the PM apologises for £100 'flutter' as gambling watchdog inquiry gets underway
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Haiti council appoints government to quell chaos
Speed Read The nation still grapples with violent gangs following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Hunter Biden found guilty on gun charges
Speed Read President Joe Biden's son was convicted for lying about his drug use to buy and illegally possess a firearm
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
UN vote ups pressure on Israel, Hamas for Gaza deal
Speed Read The United Nations Security Council voted to endorse a U.S.-backed cease-fire deal for Gaza
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published