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Full List of Supreme Court Scandals [1]

['Marni Rose Mcfall', 'Paul Du Quenoy', 'David Faris']

Date: 2024-05-23 12:48:09-04:00

The Supreme Court of the United States, once perceived as a bastion of impartiality and integrity, has recently been rocked by a series of scandals involving its members.

Accusations of financial improprieties, undisclosed relationships, and conflicts of interest have cast a shadow over the court's integrity. These controversies have sparked intense public debate and increased calls for rigorous oversight and ethical reforms.

Newsweek reached out to the Supreme Court's public information office via their website for comment.

Here's an in-depth look at the scandals, the current situation, and the potential consequences.

Supreme Court Justices Supreme Court Justices Alex Wong/Getty Images Entertainment/Sky UK/Peacock

Who Are The Current Supreme Court Justices?

As of now, the Supreme Court consists of the following members, in order of seniority:

Chief Justice John Roberts Associate Justice Clarence Thomas Associate Justice Samuel Alito Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor Associate Justice Elena Kagan Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

What Scandals Have Justices Faced?

Scandal 1: Clarence Thomas and 2020 election cases

Thomas faced criticism after it was revealed that he had not recused himself from cases related to the 2020 election despite his wife, Virginia, having reached out to the Trump White House and lawmakers, urging them to overturn election results.

Scandal 2: Clarence Thomas' Luxury Gifts

Reports in early April 2023 suggested that Justice Thomas failed to disclose numerous luxurious gifts and trips funded by a wealthy Republican donor.

Thomas issued a statement saying he was not required to disclose the trips.

Scandal 3: Clarence Thomas' $100,000 Property Deal

ProPublica then revealed that Crow had bought three properties belonging to Thomas and his family in a deal worth more than $100,000 that Thomas never disclosed.

Scandal 4: Neil Gorsuch's Property Sale

In May 2023 Politico reported that Justice Neil Gorsuch sold a property he co-owned shortly after becoming a justice.

He disclosed the sale, but omitted that the property was sold to the chief executive of Greenberg Traurig, one the country's biggest law firms that frequently has cases before the Court.

Scandal 5: Samuel Alito's Luxury Gifts

Justice Alito faced scrutiny in June 2023 after it was revealed he had not disclosed gifts from donors.

Specifically, Alito accepted private jet flights totaling over $100,000 from hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer, who has had over 10 cases before the high court, reported ProPublica. One of the cases where Alito voted in the majority led Singer to a $2.4 billion payout. Alito did not recuse himself from cases involving the wealthy investor.

Alito also stayed a luxury lodge on a 2008 trip to Alaska funded by conservative donor Robin Arkley III.

In response to the allegations, Alito penned an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, claiming that the charges against him were not valid and that he spoke to Singer only a handful of times.

Scandal 6: Samuel Alito's Flags

The New York Times reported that an upside-down American flag—a symbol associated with the "Stop the Steal" movement in the aftermath of the 2020 election—was spotted outside the justice's home in January 2021, less than a week after the January 6 U.S. Capitol attack.

Alito deflected responsibility for the flag to his wife, Martha-Ann, telling the Times that he "had no involvement whatsoever" in placing the symbol on his front lawn in Alexandria, Virginia.

The Times reported on a second flag at a second Alito property on Wednesday that displayed an "Appeal to Heaven" in July and September 2023. The symbol is rooted in Revolutionary War-era naval vessels under first U.S. President George Washington, then commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. But, as the Times reports, the flag has been used by conservatives in recent years, including by some Trump supporters during the Capitol attack.

What's Next

The Senate is under pressure to investigate Alito and Thomas as Gallup polling suggests that the majority of Americans no longer trust the Supreme Court.

Some experts believe the latest controversy swirling around Alito will further lessen confidence in the nation's highest court.

A decision by the Supreme Court on Donald Trump's claim of presidential immunity for his actions surrounding the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, is pending.

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[1] Url: https://www.newsweek.com/list-supreme-court-scandals-alito-flags-1904119

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