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A flag displayed during the attack on the US capital is flown outside the vacation home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in New Jersey on January 6, 2021. The New York Times On Wednesday.
Citing photos and interviews with neighbors, the Times reported that an « Appeal to Heaven » flag was displayed at his home last summer. The flag, with its Revolutionary War history, has also become a symbol for supporters of former President Donald Trump. The flag is a white and green evergreen tree and includes the words « An Appeal to Heaven » above.
Alito and the Supreme Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, a frequent critic of conservative justices, told CNN's Kate Bolduan on Thursday that someone on the nation's highest court flying such flags at his home and vacation home « raises a serious question. »
« I don't think it's a coincidence in this second instance. I think he's being very clear about his political allegiances, and that's a shame. When it comes down to it, our courts and judges don't have an army to enforce their views. To establish an account for media control They don't have money. What they have is respect for the integrity of the American people, » Durbin said.
It is Second exposure in as many weeks About a controversial scene outside Alito's property. The New York Times published a photo last week of an upside-down American flag at Alito's home in Virginia in 2021. Alito said the upside-down American flag was raised by his wife and was a response to a dispute with neighbors.
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An « Appeal to Heaven » flag is seen on the left side of this image shortly before protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021.
The episode drew fire from critics, including Democrats Key GOP SenatorsHe called on the judge to recuse himself from cases involving Trump and the 2021 Capitol attack.
Like the upside-down American flag, the Appeal to Heaven flag — also known as the pine tree flag — was seen during the attack on the Capitol.
House Speaker Mike Johnson faced backlash last year for displaying the same flag outside his office before assuming the leadership post. The appeal flag remains outside his office until Wednesday.
« It's George Washington's flag. It goes back to the founding era. I've always flown that flag, » Johnson told CNN on Wednesday.
« That has nothing to do with that, » Johnson said, referring to the « Stop Stealing » protests.
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An « Appeal to Heaven » flag is seen outside Speaker Mike Johnson's private office in the Cannon House office building on Wednesday, May 22.
Alito, along with eight other justices, appeared on the Supreme Court bench Thursday morning to announce the comments. Two were written by Alito, including one controversial A case of racismAnd he briefly read aloud a summary of the results.
Alito typically wears a stern, even-tempered, expression on Thursday mornings. After carefully reading the text before him, Alito took a sip from his tumbler and leaned back in his tall black leather chair as usual. Nothing from him or the other judges betrayed the growing controversies surrounding the high court.
Alitos' flag choices are drawing attention in part because of several high-profile cases pending at the Supreme Court related to the election and subsequent assault on the U.S. Capitol, including the blockbuster question of whether Trump can be acquitted of federal election tampering charges.
Another case deals with a Jan. 6 defendant who challenged a restraining order filed by federal prosecutors for his role in the attack.
Some Republican lawmakers backed Alito on Wednesday, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told CNN's Kaitlan Collins that « the whole hoopla is overblown » and accused Senate Democrats of trying to delegitimize the court.
« From the extreme left, the only institution they don't control is the courts, » he told « The Source. »
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan echoed those sentiments, pushing back against criticism of Alito and two conservative justices.
“Justice Alito is a great justice. « The left is always ready to go after him, Justice Thomas — of course, we know what they did to Justice Kavanagh, » Jordan told CNN's Manu Raju. « They're all good guys and have done a good job on the court. »
He also said Alito should not recuse himself from the case on January 6.
This story has been updated with additional updates.
CNN's Joan Biskubic, Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Morgan Rimmer, Manu Raju and Shania Sheldon contributed to this report.
