The reports show several #SCOTUS justices earning additional income from teaching at #law schools & accepting free travel to speak at events at universities & #legal orgs.
Justice Samuel #Alito was granted an extension to file his report, as he has received in past yrs.
Fed #ethics law requires top ofcls from all branches of govt, incl the justices, to file annual disclosures listing investments, gifts, outside income & spousal income source so the public can assess #conflicts of interest.
#SCOTUS Justice Samuel A. #Alito Jr. has offered multiple accounts of how politically charged flags [#insurrectionist flags] came to fly outside his homes in VA & NJ — the type of display that is generally off-limits for judges, who must remain #impartial & avoid even the appearance of #bias as they handle cases.
Since the public revelation of the #flags engulfed the nation’s highest court in criticism last month & prompted calls for #Alito’s #recusal from certain cases, the justice has said it was his wife who flew the banners, not him, & that she flew one of them after a neighborhood dispute. But his successive explanations — in a statement, an interview w/ FoxNews & letters to Congress — have raised additional questions, & in some cases #conflicted w/known #facts.
#Alito has yet to fully explain some key aspects of the controversy: How long did an #UpsideDown American #flag fly at the Alitos’ Virginia home? Where did they get the “#AppealToHeaven” flag that flew at their New Jersey beach house? And more. Here are the major discrepancies in Alito’s telling & what he still has not fully answered. Neither he nor his wife, #MarthaAnnAlito, responded to a request for comment.
…#Alito told Fox News …the neighborhood dispute began when his wife went to speak w/their neighbor Emily Baden in Jan 2021. #MarthaAnnAlito was upset the woman was displaying an anti #Trump sign, w/an expletive, “within 50 feet of where children await the school bus,” as Bream put it on…[social media].
But Fairfax County schools were shuttered at the time because of the coronavirus pandemic & had been since March 2020.
…Justice #Alito has portrayed Baden & her then-boyfriend as the aggressors in the dispute, writing in letters to Congress that his neighbors had displayed a sign “attacking” his wife “personally.” But photos provided by Baden & interviews w/a neighbor indicate the signs made no explicit mention of #MarthaAnnAlito.
One featured the off-color reference to #Trump on one side & the phrase “Bye Don” on the other. A 2nd read “Trump Is a Fascist,” while a 3rd read “You are Complicit.”
…Baden said it was #MarthaAnnAlito who confronted them on a handful of occasions…. #Alito told FoxNews a key moment in the dispute came when he & his wife were walking in the neighborhood after the initial conversation. A man got into an argument w/Martha-Ann & called her a vulgar epithet…acc/to the justice. In his letters to Congress, Alito also said the man followed them down the street.
Baden said…that…it was actually she who uttered the epithet, an acct corroborated by a neighbor who heard it.
#Alito told Fox that following the exchange his wife was “distraught” & raised the upside-down flag. A photo…showed the #flag flying on Jan 17, 2021.
The encounter between #MarthaAnnAlito, Baden & her boyfriend occurred a month AFTER the #UpsideDown flag was raised, acc/to a phone call placed to police that day. A VA govt spox confirmed that call was on Feb 15, 2021.
The most pivotal question about the #UpsideDown American #flag has yet to be fully answered: #MarthaAnnAlito’s motivation for flying it.
…The Alitos have not explicitly addressed whether the upside-down flag had a connection to #Jan6 or “Stop the Steal,” & Justice #Alito’s comments about his wife’s motivation for flying it have shifted.
…#MarthaAnnAlito, in her only known public comments about the flag, shouted at a WaPo reporter, “It’s an international sign of distress!”
…#Alito repeated his contention that a neighborhood dispute sparked the flag flying in a statement….
In letters Alito sent to Congress saying he would not recuse himself from the #Jan6 cases, however, the justice’s explanation subtly changed.…writing, “my wife’s reasons for flying the flag are not relevant for present purposes.”
…The letters include a much more specific explanation of why #MarthaAnnAlito flew the “#AppealToHeaven” flag at the couple’s vacation home….
#Alito said he “assumed” his wife was flying it for #religious & patriotic reasons. He definitively said neither he or his wife knew the flag was associated w/the “Stop the Steal” & it was not flown in solidarity w/that movement.
While defendants have successfully delayed Trump’s Georgia trial to argue thatWillis should be removed from the case, Sam #Alito continues to get an absolute pass regarding his participation in trials related to Jan. 6 and Trump’s assertion of virtually absolute presidential immunity from criminal prosecution. Here’s coverage of just how slippery Alito has been in explaining why flag associated with the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol flew over his homes. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/06/05/justice-alito-flags-unanswered-questions/ 1/2
As I have said before, thought, there really isn’t any explanation #Alito could give that would obviate the appearance that he is materially biased in cases involving Trump and Jan. 6. 2/2
#Alito’s letter explaining his refusal to recuse in Jan 6th cases includes false statements to Congress (18 USC §1001) Watch how credible Alito’s neighbor is in her first TV interview
⚖️ She contradicts Alitos account and cites a police report and another eye witness.
#Alito’s letter explaining his refusal to recuse in Jan 6th cases includes false statements to Congress (18 USC §1001) Watch how credible Alito’s neighbor is in her first TV interview
⚖️ She contradicts Alitos account and cites the police report and another eye witness. The facts, eye witness, and police report show Alito is lying because the Alitos were flying the flag upside down in solidarity with the insurrection, when the Alitos' verbal attack on the neighbors occurred three weeks later.
Alito's lie about the pretext cast an even greater shadow because his consciousness of guilt over flying the flag in support of the overthrow of our government.
Argument with neighbors took place THREE WEEKS LATER.