A recent phone call between Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and President-elect Donald Trump has sparked a lot of attention and concern. Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, is calling for Justice Alito to step back from any involvement in Trump’s case following this unexpected conversation.
So, what happened? On Tuesday, just hours before Trump asked the Supreme Court to delay his criminal sentencing in New York, he had a private phone call with Justice Alito. This raised alarms, especially since Trump has an active case before the court. According to Raskin, Alito tried to downplay the situation by saying the call was about recommending one of his former law clerks for a job in the new administration.
But here’s the issue: Raskin believes this phone call, timed so close to Trump’s legal request, crosses a line. He called it a “breach of judicial ethics,” suggesting that Alito either doesn’t understand—or just ignores—the ethical guidelines that should govern his conduct as a judge. And considering Alito’s past actions, Raskin argued, it seems that he may not think these rules apply to him.
The timing is key here. ABC News reported that Trump’s lawyers filed an emergency request to the Supreme Court just the next morning, asking them to halt his sentencing in New York, set for Friday. Raskin pointed out that Alito’s political views, including his past displays of support for the January 6th insurrection, make it even more troubling that he’s having such a personal conversation with Trump while his legal matters are pending before the court.
Alito, however, defended his actions, saying the call was strictly about a job recommendation for a former law clerk, William Levi, who had asked him to take the call. He stated that he and Trump didn’t discuss the hush money case or any other matter before the court.
While it’s not uncommon for justices to offer job recommendations for former clerks, this direct conversation with a sitting president—or president-elect—is rare. And given Trump’s ongoing legal battles, the situation has raised concerns about impartiality and ethics.
So, what’s next? The Supreme Court is expected to rule on Trump’s request by Friday morning, and we’ll see if this controversy has any lasting impact on the court’s handling of his case. Stay tuned!
