Flag with Controversial Ties Seen at Supreme Court Justice’s Residence
A flag bearing the phrase “Appeal to Heaven,” which was notably flown by some of the Capitol attackers on January 6, 2021, was seen flying over the home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito last summer, according to a report by the New York Times on Wednesday, May 22.
Sightings of the flag
The NYT report detailed that this particular flag, associated with a religious faction of the “Stop the Steal” campaign, was raised over Alito’s New Jersey vacation home in July and September of 2023. Previously, the Times had reported that an upside-down American flag had been flown over the homes of Virginia justices in January 2021.
Justice Alito’s response
Justice Alito addressed the January 2021 incident, explaining that his wife, Martha-Ann Alito, had raised the inverted flag in response to a dispute with a neighbor, emphasizing that he “had no involvement whatsoever.” However, Alito declined to comment on the flag seen at his beach house.
A spokesperson for the Supreme Court did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the latest incident involving the controversial flag.
This controversy unfolds as the Supreme Court deliberates on two significant cases concerning former President Donald Trump and his supporters’ attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. These rulings are expected to influence the criminal election interference charges pending against Trump.
Political reactions
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, renewed his call for Justice Alito to recuse himself from cases related to the 2020 election and the January 6 insurrection. Durbin stated, “This episode will further erode public faith in the court,” and urged Chief Justice John Roberts to implement an enforcement mechanism for the court’s ethics code.
Durbin has been advocating for Congress to enforce stricter ethics rules for the Supreme Court, supported by an enforcement process, though these efforts have faced opposition from Republicans.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has been displaying the “Appeal to Heaven” flag outside his congressional office, further highlighting the political divisions surrounding this symbol and its associations.
This incident underscores the ongoing tensions and ethical debates within the highest court in the United States as it navigates politically charged cases and public scrutiny.
The Freedom from Religion Foundation calls the flag a “sectarian symbol that indicates government endorsement of Christianity.”
Delivering the commencement address at a Catholic university this month, Alito said that the freedom of religion is “imperiled.”