Jeffries calls on Alito to recuse himself from all Jan. 6 cases

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

05/23/24 11:19 AM ET


House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Thursday bashed Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito for flying far-right flags associated with the “Stop the Steal” movement outside two of his homes, demanding that Alito recuse himself from any cases related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. “He definitively needs to recuse himself from any matter pending before the United States Supreme Court that has to do with the Jan. 6 violent insurrection,” Jeffries said during a press briefing in the Capitol. “He should have no part of it.”

Jeffries remarks echo those of other top Democrats, including Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who say Alito has disqualified himself from Jan. 6 cases after The New York Times reported on two instances when conservative flags were flown outside the justice’s homes.

The first occasion, immediately following the 2020 election, featured an upside-down American flag flying outside the justice’s residence in Alexandria, Va., the Times reported. Alito told the paper the flag was displayed by his wife in a feud with neighbors. The second instance, occurring last summer, found an “Appeal to Heaven” flag flying outside Alito’s New Jersey vacation home, the Times revealed. Alito declined to comment on that case.

Both flags have been used prominently by supporters of former President Trump and his false claims that he won the 2020 election only to have it stolen by a criminal conspiracy of corrupt Democrats and state election officials. And both were carried by “Stop the Steal” protestors who stormed into the Capitol as Congress was formalizing his election defeat on Jan. 6, 2021. Jeffries said Alito — along with Justice Clarence Thomas, who has a long history of accepting travel benefits from a billionaire conservative activist — have demonstrated a degree of political bias that has undermined the image of the high court as a bastion of nonpartisan objectivity.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4681845-hakeem-jeffries-samuel-alito-supreme-court-jan-6-cases/

[sboatcar]

1. Have Justices ever recused themselves?

I don't think I can recall an instance where any did.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. There was one day last month

where Thomas didn't show up. The SCOTUS reporters considered it unusual because there was no reason given for his absence and the trial subject fueled some speculation regarding whether that was actually a recusal-in-hiding.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/15/politics/clarence-thomas-supreme-court/index.html

ETA - Justice Jackson recused from a case - https://abovethelaw.com/2024/04/clarence-thomas-mysteriously-absent-supreme-court/

Alito and Kagan have also recently recused - https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4029010-why-supreme-court-recusals-are-attracting-newfound-attention/

[sboatcar]

22. There's no legal standard for supreme court justices, right?

They can recuse if they want or don't if they don't want to?

[BumRushDaShow]

23. I think the main (legal) "requirements" for them

are financial disclosures but not much else including "ethical". And even with the financial disclosures (or lack thereof from several of them as we know), there doesn't seem to be an enforcement mechanism other than impeachment. I think for the lower court judges there are more options for enforcement.

[BlueKota]

2. I understand why our side needs to continue

calling out the unethical behavior, and they should.

There is no way though Alito will do it. With assholes like he and Thomas though it makes them dig in harder. They have no moral compass.

Make the case to the public instead that the only way the court can be reformed is a Democratic wave in the election.

[yourout]

5. They have a moral compass but it's stuck pointing to the right.

[Martin68]

15. So you mean "they have a broken moral compass."

I'd agree.

[FredGarvin]

9. Too late

The public voted for those who shaped the courts.

Dems are way behind the curve as always, sadly.

The GOP fully controls the country.

[Torchlight]

24. Just getting started.

Shortsightedness can often force us to miscalculate the season's weather when looking at only tomorrow's precip.

[Midnight Writer]

4. Jackson recently recused herself from a case. Of course, she is not a corrupt conservative crank.

[FredGarvin]

6. Thoughts and prayers

Aint gonna happen.

sadly

[Lucky Luciano]

7. Alito's response:

🤣

[FredGarvin]

11. Exactly.

The GOP rules the justice system

[Pacifist Patriot]

8. I'm having a hard time moving past "two of his homes."

How many homes does one fucking justice need?

[FredGarvin]

10. As many as he and his family want

Political contributions matter yo

[Seinan Sensei]

12. On CNN this morning, Right-Wing Hack Scott Jennings

Scott Jennings: I don’t personally believe that the flag choices at Alito’s house have anything to do with his impartiality or ability to render his duties as a Supreme Court Justice.

Kasie Hunt: So you’re cool with him flying the upside down American flag …?

Scott Jennings: I don’t care and I have no reason to disbelief his explanation … everybody seems to think he’s lying about his explanation. Do I believe that his wife had a dispute with the neighbor? Yes. I believe that he’s an honest person. And if that’s what he said happened, then I believe him.

=================

With friends like this, America doesn't need enemies

[Hassler]

13. Sam the Sham and Crimey Clarence are above shame

Like the threat Dementia J Chump poses, the SCROTUS should also be an election issue-- the threat they pose to the Constitution, to the nation. Americans already sense it as we see by the plummeting approval they are experiencing.

[Martin68]

14. Even if Alito doesn't recuse himself, I'm glad Jeffries called him out. Every Democrat should publicly call him out.

[Aviation Pro]

16. I truly wish that our Congressional leadership would stop beating around the bush

Calling for recusals as if someone like that motherfucking scumbag would listen.

Instead, try calling them out in the vilest of terms and question their very existence as Americans. Top it off with a profane ending like, "Why don't you fucking emigrate to Russia, you worthless sack of shit?"

But that's just me.

[bucolic_frolic]

17. Control of the House may depend on what Leader Jeffries says between now and November

I like our chances, he's clear, vocal, logical, and prudent.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

18. Every day at least one elected Democrat should call on Alito to recuse from J6 cases.

[IcyPeas]

19. We need a sleuth to find that neighbor... if they exist.

🔍🔎

[republianmushroom]

20. Not going to happen.

[Miguelito Loveless]

21. He won't

As he was bought and paid for, like Thomas. He knows he can't be forced out or impeached, which is why he doesn't care to even seem unbiased.