Hi Reader,

Yesterday, ProPublica published a new bombshell investigation revealing that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito took an undisclosed luxury fishing trip to Alaska with billionaire Republican megadonor Paul Singer, whose hedge fund then had repeated business before the court over the years that followed.

Our reporting found that Singer flew the justice to Alaska in a private jet that could have cost over $100,000 had Alito chartered the plane himself. Alito didn't report the trip on his annual financial disclosures, which appears to have violated a federal law requiring justices to disclose most gifts, according to ethics law experts. Singer was invited on the trip by Leonard Leo, the longtime Federalist Society leader who had recently played an important role in Alito’s confirmation to the court — and who you may remember from our recent reporting of Clarence Thomas' undisclosed trips with billionaire Harlan Crow. In the years following the fishing trip, Singer's companies came before the court at least 10 times. Alito never recused himself.

When ProPublica reporters sent the justice a list of detailed questions, Alito declined to comment. Instead, he wrote an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal responding to ProPublica’s yet-to-be-published story.

ProPublica is dedicated to investigating issues of corruption and abuses of power at the highest levels of our government. Donate today to help us continue holding the powerful to account.

Thank you,
Robin Sparkman
President, ProPublica