On Friday, January 10, 2025, ABC News reported that Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, has called for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito to recuse himself from any deliberations related to President-elect Donald Trump’s ongoing legal issues. This request follows revelations of a phone conversation that took place between Trump and Alito shortly before Trump sought emergency relief from the Supreme Court regarding his sentencing in a hush money case in New York.

According to Raskin, the conversation occurred just hours before Trump’s legal team filed an urgent request with the Supreme Court, aiming to halt the sentencing. Raskin criticized Alito’s handling of the situation, describing the call as a significant breach of judicial ethics. He stated that Alito claimed the discussion was about recommending a former law clerk for a position in the administration, which Raskin argued was inappropriate given the context of the ongoing legal proceedings involving Trump.

Raskin expressed concern that Alito’s decision to engage in a private conversation with a sitting president who has an active case before the court undermines the integrity of the judiciary. He pointed to Alito’s past actions, suggesting they reflect a partisan bias that could compromise his impartiality as a justice. Raskin emphasized that in a democratic society, the expectation is for cases to be adjudicated by unbiased judges.

Justice Alito, responding to the situation, confirmed the phone call but maintained that it did not involve discussions about Trump’s legal matters. He stated, “William Levi, one of my former law clerks, asked me to take a call from President-elect Trump regarding his qualifications to serve in a government position.” Alito asserted that he was unaware of Trump’s request for emergency relief at the time of their conversation and that they did not discuss any pending cases or past Supreme Court decisions related to Trump.

While it is common for justices to provide job recommendations for former clerks, experts noted that direct conversations between a sitting justice and a president or president-elect, particularly one with ongoing legal matters before the court, are quite rare.

As the legal landscape continues to evolve, Raskin’s call for Alito to recuse himself underscores ongoing concerns about judicial ethics and the potential influence of political matters on the judiciary.

 

 

Source: ABC News