Durbin and Whitehouse had asked Roberts a week earlier to force Alito to recuse himself from upcoming decisions related to the 2020 election and to meet to discuss proposals to strengthen Supreme Court ethics rules. “Separation of powers concerns and the importance of preserving judicial independence counsel against such appearances.”Justices rarely meet with legislators, particularly those who have expressed an interest in matters before the court, Roberts wrote. In a statement, a spokesperson for Durbin rejected Roberts’ reasoning, saying Durbin only sought to address the lack of public confidence in the court. Alito told the Times that his wife displayed that flag in reaction to a neighborhood dispute. Roberts’ letter said Alito had written to the committee himself on that issue.

Source: New York Times May 31, 2024 18:25 UTC