Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito recently acknowledged that an upside-down flag was briefly flown at his home. Several Democratic officials raised concerns about a conflict of interest following this revelation.
In an interview with MSNBC, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) expressed his belief that there is a significant conflict of interest at play. Justice Alito explained to another news outlet that his wife displayed the upside-down flag in response to a neighbor’s use of objectionable language on yard signs.
According to Justice Alito, he had no involvement in the flag being flown. He clarified to The New York Times that it was briefly placed by his wife as a response to the neighbor’s offensive behavior.
Rep. Raskin argued that the upside-down flag is a political symbol indicating political distress. He suggested the need for an ethics panel of Federal Circuit judges to address any bias concerns if Justice Alito does not recuse himself from relevant cases.
The U.S. Code stipulates that the American flag should only be displayed upside down as a distress signal in extreme circumstances. Justice Alito did not mention any political distress rationale for the flag’s positioning in his media comments.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) called for a code of ethics enforcement and term limits for the Supreme Court following Justice Alito’s remarks. He emphasized the necessity for Justice Alito to recuse himself from certain cases.
Justice Alito’s statements about the flag incident prompted calls for his recusal from cases related to the 2020 election and the Jan. 6 incident. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also weighed in on the matter.
In response to a neighbor’s provocative actions, Justice Alito’s wife hung the flag upside down briefly. This incident led to escalating tensions with the neighbor, culminating in a confrontation and the flag display.
Justice Alito, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2005, faces scrutiny over the flag incident and possible biases. Democratic lawmakers have advocated for increased oversight of the high court in light of recent controversies involving Supreme Court justices.
Justice Alito’s acknowledgment of the flag incident has sparked discussions about ethics, recusal, and the need for clearer guidelines for Supreme Court justices. The situation highlights the complexities of judicial conduct and potential conflicts of interest in high-profile cases.
The Epoch Times reached out to the Supreme Court for comment on the matter.
Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Please rewrite the following sentence so that it conveys the same meaning:
“The cat was lying lazily in the sun, enjoying the warmth on its fur.”
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