(StraightNews.org) – Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts declined an invitation from Senators to discuss the recent scandal involving Justice Samuel Alito. Justice Alito came under fire when newspapers reported that the “Appeal to Heaven” flag flew outside his New Jersey home. Some consider the flag a symbol of the extreme right wing, but defenders, including Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, say it is part of American history and should not be controversial. An inverted US flag was also noted at Alito’s residence.
Democrats were furious and demanded Alito recuse himself from cases related to January 6 or former President Donald Trump. Several protestors waved both flags on Capitol Hill during the January 6 disorder.
In a letter to Chief Justice Roberts, Senators Dick Durbin and Sheldon Whitehouse said Justice Alito had “created reasonable doubt about his impartiality” and asked to meet with Mr. Roberts. The Chief Justice subsequently replied, saying, “I must respectfully decline your request for a meeting.”
Roberts noted that meeting with one political party is unadvisable and reminded the lawmakers that it is up to Supreme Court Justices to recuse themselves from cases if they feel it is warranted.
Following Democrat complaints and recusal demands, Justice Alito said his wife flew the controversial flags, and as she owns half of their home, he could not prevent her from doing so. The Judge added that his spouse is “fond of flying flags” and also hoisted the “Appeal to Heaven” banner without his knowledge or input.
Critics say, however, that the presence of the flags still calls his impartiality into question, or at least the possibility of bias on his part, and that this contravenes the code of ethics introduced to the Court last year. The code provides that a Judge should recuse him or herself from any case where the “Justice’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned” or where a reasonable person “would doubt that the Justice could fairly discharge his or her duties.”
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