Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is facing a second lawsuit filed this month for a symbol that was flown outside of one of his personal dwellings.
In an article published Wednesday, the Times attacked Alito over the” Appeal to Heaven” symbol displayed at his house, claiming the symbol is a “provocative image” because some activists at the Jan. 6, 2021, mob carried the same flag.
The flag, which the Times ‘ reporters claimed was missing when they arrived this week, was unobserved by the Times ‘ reporters at Alito’s beach house in New Jersey. They cited images and discussions with relatives, as well as a Google Street View pictures from August 2023, saying the flag was raised in the summer of 2023. But are they only presently reporting on the flag’s life, almost a year later.
The Times acknowledged that the symbol has roots in the American Revolutionary War, but viciously disagreed and claimed that it represents a “push to copy British authorities in Christian terms” and represents devotion to former President Trump.
In reality, the” Appeal to Heaven” flag ( or” Pine Tree” flag, as it is sometimes called ) is far from a symbol of clandestine radicalism. The white flag with a huge green pine trees in the middle was created by George Washington’s director and carried by six boats that Washington commissioned during the American Revolution. Besides the statue’s relation to the American Revolution, the word “appeal to sky” finds its origins in the writings of 17th- millennium social philosopher John Locke. When someone feels helpless and desperate on earth, they “appeal to heaven,” asking for a higher power to intervene in their defense.
The emblem has been frequently used in common culture and even in public. For example, visitors can see the” Appeal to Heaven” symbol in the strike show” Parks and Recreation” on lead protagonist Ron Swanson’s office. In one of its design garden attractions, Disney also displays the symbol. A person on the social media platform X also referenced a previous image of a Black Lives Matter opposition that featured the symbol.
Additionally, it is important to point out that Alito is not the only official in the state to travel the” Appeal to Heaven” symbol. According to a photo obtained by The New York Times, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has the symbol positioned outside of his company, one of three framing his entrance.
The Times did, however, claim that the “disclosure about the new symbol is troubling” and that it was doing so in an effort to inflict an ethics breach that had ultimately tarn Alito and the court in handling future elections and cases involving Jan. 6 and the forthcoming election.
This is exactly what the Times attempted to accomplish with a different Alito symbol story last year.  , Jodi Kantor, one of the investigators on the” Appeal to Heaven” flag content, wrote a distinct part that also criticized Alito over a flag on his personal property. In this case, an face- down National flag was flown outside Alito’s Virginia house in 2021. The upside-down flag was installed around by his family in response to a friend’s argument over an anti-Trump mark in the sister’s yard, according to Alito.
Margot Cleveland, a senior legal journalist for The Federalist, properly pointed out that Alito’s wife’s hanging of the symbol does not fall under the Supreme Court’s code of conduct, and that she did not raise any moral questions. ” It was n’t Justice Alito who hung the inside- down symbol we are hypothesizing was rather a’ Stop the Steal ‘ sign — it was Mrs. Alito”, Cleveland said. ” And the Code of Conduct does not regulate a parent’s activities”.
The Supreme Court’s fresh ethics code, which was established in November of last year, is mentioned in the Times ‘ content. But, even if the password applied to Mrs. Alito’s hanging the U. S. symbol inside- over, it was not created until two years after the incident. The” Appeal to Heaven” flag at Alito’s beach house was reportedly flown in the summer of 2023, which allegedly makes it outside the purview of the new ethics code as well.
However, the reporters also suggest Alito be subject to investigation and perhaps to be exempt from upcoming cases. The Times claims that while judges are supposed to hardly convey bias, the emblem could also be used to telegraph the views of the Alitos, and at a time when the justices were preparing to adopt a , a new ethics code. The colors ‘ outcomes would not be as bad if the judge were never “on the cusp of adopting a new morality code,” according to the wording.
Prior to the publication of the two New York Times reports, the flags had been flown at the Alito mother’s homes without being subject to criticism or requests for recusal, and the reports appear to have made a blatant attempt to stir up controversy about Alito, as evidenced by the fact that the Times today has a section devoted to the” Alito Flag Controversies.”
Republican Sen. Mike Lee rightfully derided the Times post on social press:” This is anxious story. The fascination with the Alitos and their colors is absurd drivel.
But Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez, D- N. Y., is using the discussion as explanation to call for more than just Alito’s recusal from potential cases.
In an interview with MSNBC, Ocasio-Cortez stated that” Samuel Alito has identified himself with the same folks who raided the Capitol on January 6 and is now going to be presiding over jury circumstances that have significant repercussions for the attendees of that rally.” Liberals are tasked with protecting our republic. And in the Senate, we have gavels. Warrants may become issued. There should be effective investigations happening”.
