(TargetLiberty.org) – On Wednesday, Justice Samuel Alito told lawmakers he wouldn’t be refusing himself from any upcoming cases about the January 6, 2021, insurrection or the 2020 election, despite reports he flew a flag supporting “Stop the Steal” outside his homes.
In two letters to members of Congress, Alito wrote that he had no involvement in flags flown over his home, including an upside-down flag he blamed his wife for flying in response to a dispute with neighbors at his Alexandria, Virginia home.
Alito claimed the two incidents — one referencing the upside-down flag and another “Appeal to Heaven” flag — lawmakers had cited hadn’t met “conditions for recusal.”
Alito claimed that since the incidents didn’t require him to recuse himself, he had an “obligation” to sit for the cases.
In the letter, written to Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durban (D-Illinois) and Republican Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island), who have requested Alito recuse himself, the Justice repeats claims he had “nothing” to do with the flags flown at his home.
Alito added that he hadn’t even been “aware of the upside-down flag” before it was brought to his attention, prompting him to ask his wife to take it down. However, he noted that she “refused” for several days.
The Justice also noted that given the residence is shared with his wife, she has a “legal right” to use the home as she feels is fit.
The upside-down flag, flown in 2020, was associated with the “Stop the Steal” movement — a group attempting to prevent the transfer of Presidential power because of false claims that the 2020 election had been stolen from former Trump President Donald Trump through widespread election fraud.
According to the ethics code for the Supreme Court, Justices should avoid making political statements to preserve their impartiality on matters before the court.
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