Demand Progress

Alito and Thomas must recuse themselves from January 6 cases!

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    Alito and Thomas must recuse themselves from January 6 cases!

    Petition to the Supreme Court:
    We call for Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito to recuse themselves from the Trump immunity case and all January 6 cases due to clear conflicts of interest.

    According to reports from The New York Times, an upside-down American flag (a prominent ‘Stop the Steal’ symbol after January 6) flew over Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s house.1

    The flag was raised over Alito’s house while the Court considered whether or not to take on a critical election case in the days after the Capitol riots, just before President Biden was sworn in.2 A Supreme Court Justice displaying a symbol at their house representing efforts to overthrow the 2020 election is disturbing AND a clear conflict of interest as Alito prepares to rule on the Trump immunity case in the next few weeks.

    Alito isn’t the only one with a conflict of interest. Clarence Thomas’ wife, Ginni Thomas attended the January 6 Stop the Steal rally and pleaded with senior White House staff to help Trump overturn the election.3

    Sign the petition: Demand that Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas recuse themselves in cases involving Trump and January 6!

    Alito’s and Thomas’ actions continue to undermine public confidence in the judiciary, and raise serious ethical questions about their decisions to preside over cases relating to Trump and January 6.

    As Senator Dick Durbin said of Alito’s upside-down flag, "Such actions from a person in his position send a worrying message about the stability and respect for our democratic norms."4 Rep. Jamie Raskin called it “a very clear conflict of interest.”5

    Despite clear conflicts of interest, Thomas has failed to recuse himself from Trump’s immunity case, which could decide whether Trump and others involved in January 6, including his wife, could be prosecuted for election interference.6 Alito also refuses to recuse himself from January 6 related cases, even though he showed support for the insurrection at his house.

    This blatant corruption on our highest court cannot be allowed to stand.

    Add your name: Thomas and Alito must recuse themselves in Trump’s immunity case and all cases involving January 6.

    Sources:

    1. The New York Times, “At Justice Alito’s House, a ‘Stop the Steal’ Symbol on Display,” May 16, 2024.
    2. Ibid.
    3. The New Yorker, “Legal Scholars Are Shocked By Ginni Thomas’s 'Stop the Steal' Texts,” March 25, 2022.
    4. Huffington Post, "Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin Calls On Samuel Alito To Recuse From Jan. 6 Cases,” May 17, 2024.
    5. The Hill, "Raskin on upside-down flag at Alito home: ‘It’s a very clear conflict of interest,’” May 19, 2024.
    6. CBS News, "Supreme Court appears divided over obstruction law used to prosecute Trump, Jan. 6 rioters,” April 16, 2024.