Democratic Senate leaders request a meeting with Chief Justice regarding Alito’s recusal following flag controversy

Two Democratic senators sitting on the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee are requesting a meeting with Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to address Justice Samuel Alito’s flag controversy.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) sent a joint letter asking to speak with the chief justice to ensure Alito recuses himself from cases surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot or former President Donald Trump’s claims that he won the 2020 election.

“We request a meeting with you as soon as possible, in your capacity as Chief Justice and as presiding officer of the Judicial Conference of the United States, to discuss additional steps to address the Supreme Court’s ethics crisis,” Durbin and Whitehouse wrote in their letter to Roberts.

“Until the Court and the Judicial Conference take meaningful action to address this ongoing ethical crisis, we will continue our efforts to enact legislation to resolve this crisis,” they added.

The senators’ letter comes after Alito attracted widespread backlash for an upside-down American flag flying at his home. Alito responded that his wife briefly flew the flag “in response to a neighbor’s use of objectionable and personally insulting language on yard signs.” Historically, the upside-down flag has been a symbol of distress for the country, but it has recently become associated with the “Stop the Steal” movement, which questions the results of the 2020 election.

Alito has also come under attack from some on the Left for the “An Appeal to Heaven” Revolutionary War flag spotted flying at his beach property. The phrase comes from the political philosopher John Locke, whose writings served as a foundation for the founding documents of the United States.

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Though it is viewed by some progressives as a symbol of white nationalism, the flag is flown by many people, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who displays it outside his office.

The Washington Examiner has reached out to the Supreme Court for comment.