|
Dear John,
“A judge can’t have any agenda. A judge can’t have a preferred outcome in any particular case,” said Justice Samuel Alito during his confirmation hearing for a seat on the Supreme Court. Yet, after the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, Justice Alito flew an upside-down American flag outside his house for days—a symbol adopted by Trump supporters in the 'Stop the Steal’ movement to contest President Biden’s presidential victory. This blatant political statement was showcased at his own house while he considered a 2020 election case in front of the Supreme Court.
Time and time again, far-right extremist judges prove they are incapable of holding themselves accountable to the detriment of our democracy. We’re calling on Congress to hold the justices accountable and ensure there is no bias in our courts, especially at the highest court in the land.
We already know that Supreme Court justices, like Alito and Thomas, have accepted far-right megadonors’ exorbitant gifts for years without publicly disclosing them and not recused themselves in cases where the megadonors’ interests are before the Court. And now with news of a 'Stop the Steal’ flag flying at Alito’s home as a political message to the world while the Court heard one of the Trump 2020 election cases, it is impossible for the public to believe he has served or can serve impartially in those cases. The failure of his response to even acknowledge that the upside-down flag is politically biased is further proof that it’s time for Congress to act.
These kinds of actions and appearances of bias only further undermine public trust in the judiciary, which is already at historic lows. We need Congress to act now and pass the Judicial Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act to create stronger recusal standards and an enforceable code of conduct. Take action now.
For justice,
Erinn D. Martin
she/her/hers
Director of Nominations & Cross-Cutting Policies
National Women's Law Center Action Fund
|
