Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s wife, Martha-Ann Alito, raised an inverted American flag at their house in January 2021, claiming it was an “international signal of distress.” The encounter between the Alitos and a Washington Post reporter outside their Virginia home revealed that Martha-Ann Alito was adamant about the flag’s significance, stating it was not related to political protest but rather a neighborhood dispute. The flag was later replaced with a novelty one in response to the reporter’s inquiries, according to The Post.
A photograph obtained by The New York Times showed the inverted American flag at the Alitos’ residence three days before President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Justice Alito explained that the flag was raised by his wife in response to a disagreement with neighbors who had posted offensive signs near a school bus stop. The display of the upside-down flag has been linked to supporters of former President Donald Trump who contested the results of the 2020 election. Additionally, a flag associated with pro-Trump groups was seen flying outside the Alitos’ vacation home in New Jersey last summer.
The controversy surrounding the flags displayed at Alito’s properties has sparked criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. Senate Republican Whip John Thune described the inverted flag as a “bad decision,” while some Democrats have called on the justice to recuse himself from cases involving Trump and the 2021 Capitol attack. Efforts to implement ethics rules for the Supreme Court have been reignited, with Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin expressing concern over a Supreme Court justice displaying such flags at his properties.
Despite the backlash, some Republican lawmakers have defended Alito against the criticism, with Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas dismissing the controversy as “greatly overstated” and accusing Senate Democrats of attempting to undermine the legitimacy of the court. The renewed debate over ethics rules for the Supreme Court has remained unresolved for months, with calls for Alito to recuse himself from cases related to Trump and the Capitol attack growing louder. The issue has raised questions about the behavior and actions of justices on the nation’s highest court and their impact on the public perception of the judiciary.
In response to the allegations and criticism surrounding the flags flown at his properties, Justice Alito has maintained that the displays were not intended as political statements but rather responses to personal disputes with neighbors. The revelations about the flags have fueled further scrutiny of the justice’s actions and have reignited calls for stricter ethics regulations for Supreme Court justices. The ongoing debate over the ethical standards and responsibilities of justices on the Supreme Court highlights the need for transparency and accountability in the nation’s highest court to maintain public trust and confidence in the judiciary.
