‘The call was merely an excuse’: Alito chat with Trump hours before Supreme Court appeal leads to calls for disqualification in hush-money stay request

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito after Mark Esper was sworn in as Secretary of Defense during a ceremony in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is embroiled in yet another ethics controversy involving his relationship with President-elect Donald Trump.

Alito, who faced widespread criticism over the flying of an upside-down American flag — a move largely associated with Trump supporters following the 2020 presidential election — in front of his house just after the Jan. 6 insurrection, spoke directly with Trump on Tuesday, just hours before Trump asked the Supreme Court to delay his sentencing in the New York hush-money case.

After reports over the phone call arose, Alito issued a statement Wednesday, in which he said one of his former law clerks asked him to take a call from Trump regarding the clerk’s qualifications to serve in the Trump administration. Alito said he agreed to discuss the matter with Trump, who then telephoned the justice on Tuesday afternoon.

You May Also Like

Bunnell Commission Bids Farewell to 5-Year Commissioner Tonya Gordon as New Members Are Sworn-In

  Tonya Gordon served on the Bunnell City Commission from 2020 to…

How Florida Went from Swing State to Solid Republican

Florida has undergone a dramatic political transformation over the past decade from…

Bill to Lower Minimum Wage in Florida Dies

Better wages are better than food stamps. (Fibonacci Blue/Flickr) Senate President Ben Albritton said…