Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has been caught on a newly surfaced audio recording criticizing the news outlet ProPublica for its coverage of ethical concerns within the highest court of the land.
Alito asserted that the reporting stemmed from political motivations, claiming, “They don’t like our decisions.”
The audio, unveiled by liberal documentarian Lauren Windsor, captured Alito’s remarks during a Supreme Court Historical Society event on June 3.
Responding to a question on why the Supreme Court faces increased scrutiny from the media, Alito pointed to ideological biases, stating, “They don’t like our decisions, and they don’t like how they anticipate we may decide some cases that are coming up. That’s the beginning of the end of it.”
He further accused well-funded ideological groups of spearheading attacks on the Court, singling out ProPublica for substantial financial backing. Alito criticized the outlet’s extensive investigations into justices, including Clarence Thomas and himself, suggesting a concerted effort to scrutinize every aspect of their lives.
“ProPublica gets a lot of money, and they have spent a fortune investigating Clarence Thomas, for example. You know, everything he’s ever done in his entire life.”
“And they’ve done some of that to me, too. They look for any little thing they can find, and they try to make something out of it,” he added.
ProPublica’s Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting shed light on gifts and travel perks received by justices from wealthy benefactors, prompting Alito to defend his actions in an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal.
In response to Alito’s allegations, a spokesperson for ProPublica emphasized the outlet’s commitment to independent journalism and accountability, highlighting its broad donor base and nonpartisan approach.
Moreover, ProPublica’s investigations led to the adoption of a new code of conduct by the Court in November of the previous year, signaling a recognition of the need for heightened ethical standards.
Additional recordings provided by Windsor reveal Alito’s views on the challenges of coexistence between opposing ideologies and his endorsement of a return to religious values in the country.
Alito and his wife, Martha-Ann Alito, have also faced criticism for displaying flags associated with the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, at their homes, further fueling public scrutiny of their actions and statements.
EXCLUSIVE UNDERCOVER AUDIO feat. the debut of my colleague @Ally_Sammarco:
Alito v @ProPublicaJustice Alito rants on ProPublica and minimizes Justice Thomas’ extraordinary ethics breaches as “any little thing they can find" pic.twitter.com/HXFlaxRpWm
— Lauren Windsor (@lawindsor) June 12, 2024
