CNN
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A flag displayed during the attack on the US capital is flown outside the vacation home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in New Jersey on January 6, 2021. The New York Times On Wednesday.
Citing photos and interviews with neighbors, the Times reported that an “Appeal to Heaven” flag was displayed at his home last summer. The flag, with its Revolutionary War history, has also become a symbol for supporters of former President Donald Trump. The flag is a white and green evergreen tree and includes the words “An Appeal to Heaven” above.
Alito and the Supreme Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It’s the second revelation in as many weeks about a controversial scene outside Alito’s property. The New York Times last week published a photo of Alito’s home in Virginia in 2021 with an upside-down American flag. Alito said his wife raised the upside-down American flag in response to a fight with neighbors.
The episode has drawn fire from critics, including Democrats and key GOP senators, who have called on the justice to recuse himself from cases involving Trump and the 2021 Capitol attack.
Like the upside-down American flag, the Appeal to Heaven flag — also known as the pine tree flag — was seen during the attack on the Capitol.
House Speaker Mike Johnson faced backlash last year for displaying the same flag outside his office before assuming the leadership post. The appeal flag remains outside his office until Wednesday.
“It’s George Washington’s flag. It goes back to the founding era. I’ve always flown that flag,” Johnson told CNN on Wednesday.
“That has nothing to do with that,” Johnson said, referring to the “Stop Stealing” protests.
Alitos’ choice of flags has drawn attention in part because several high-profile cases are currently pending at the high court involving the election and subsequent attacks on the U.S. Capitol, including the blockbuster question of whether Trump can be acquitted of federal election tampering charges. .
Another case deals with a Jan. 6 defendant who challenged a restraining order filed by federal prosecutors for his role in the attack.
This story has been updated with additional updates.
