Alito facing backlash over association with controversial flags

Top Republican senators are supporting Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. Some Democrats want Alito to step back from important matters in court. The flag at Alito's vacation home in New Jersey is called the “Appeal to Heaven.” It has a history from the Revolutionary War. But now, it's linked to supporters of former President Donald Trump and was seen during the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley thinks judges have personal lives and families. He doesn't think they should be blamed for everything their families do. Grassley says there were no complaints about bias when liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a book. Grassley mentions that the Supreme Court has new ethics rules and can handle recusal matters internally. GOP Senator Thom Tillis thinks it wasn't smart for Alito to have certain flags outside his home. He says public figures need to be careful about what they show. Democrat Senator Sheldon Whitehouse believes Alito should step back from cases. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark also want Alito to step back from certain cases. Democrats and some media are criticizing Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. They are not happy with the flags at his homes. They are trying to put pressure on the court to follow their views. They want to control the court, which has more conservative members now. The “An Appeal to Heaven” flag has a long history from the Revolutionary War. It was used by Patriots during that time. The flag has a pine tree on a white background with the words “An Appeal to Heaven” above it. The flag has deep meaning and was flown by a Massachusetts naval group during the Revolutionary War. The flag became controversial after it was seen at Alito's vacation home. Some people at the January 6 riot also had this flag. But it doesn't seem like the flag played a big part in the events.