Recent actions and conflicts of interest surrounding Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas have cast a shadow over their commitment to upholding the integrity of our highest court.

It has been reported that an upside-down American flag was photographed flying over Justice Samuel Alito’s home--a symbol widely adopted by Trump supporters who falsely claimed the election was stolen. This flag was seen on January 17, 2021, just after the Capitol riot and days before President Biden's inauguration. Also while the Supreme Court was considering whether to hear a case involving results of the 2020 election.

Alito blamed his wife for the flag, but that does not change that displaying the “stop the steal” symbol publicly can conflict with his duty to impartially uphold the Constitution and the rule of law. His actions continue to undermine public confidence in the judiciary and raise questions about his fitness to rule fairly over cases surrounding Jan. 6, Donald Trump, and our elections. As Senator Dick Durbin expressed, "Such actions from a person in his position send a worrying message about the stability and respect for our democratic norms."

Meanwhile, Justice Clarence Thomas's wife, Ginni, was actively involved in the effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election. After Joe Biden had won both Arizona and Wisconsin, Ginni Thomas pressured legislators in both states to appoint a rival slate of electors to award these states to Donald Trump and regularly texted Trump's chief of staff, Mark Meadows, urging him to “help this Great President stand firm."  

Judges must recuse themselves from cases where their impartiality may be called into question. Recusal is especially important for U.S. Supreme Court justices where there are currently no binding codes of ethics to keep their conflicts of interest in check.

We must demand accountability from those who hold the highest offices in our land. Justices Alito and Thomas' actions and conflicts of interest warrant their recusal from any cases involving Donald Trump and January 6. The credibility of our judicial system is at stake.

Sign the petition: Alito and Thomas must recuse themselves from cases involving Trump and January 6.