Justice Alito says he spoke with Trump about former clerk before hush-money filing to high court
FOX NewsJAN 11
Alito-Trump Call Sparks Ethics Debate Ahead of Court Filing
Above: United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito poses for an official portrait at the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court building on Oct. 7, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Image copyright: Alex Wong/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) Justice Samuel Alito confirmed Wednesday that he held a phone call with Pres.-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday afternoon regarding a former law clerk, William Levi, who was being considered for a government position.
The call occurred the day before Trump's legal team filed an emergency application with the court seeking to delay his sentencing in the New York hush-money case.
Alito stated he was unaware of the upcoming emergency application during the call and maintained that no discussion occurred about any pending or potential future court matters involving Trump.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
This phone call reeks of political maneuvering, as Trump, convicted on 34 felony counts for falsifying records to cover up hush money payments, chose Alito to influence his case. Alito's claim of it being a routine job reference call is laughable, especially given his history of engaging with conservative figures when their cases are before the court. This interaction is another dagger in the heart of judicial impartiality.
Republican narrative
This phone call has been completely misrepresented by Democrats attempting to project their sins onto Trump and Alito. The call was merely a job reference, not a plot. Yet Democrats, who have attacked the court's legitimacy since the 2022 abortion case, continue to paint justices as corrupt to sway public opinion. What's worse is that they're doing this to protect corrupt NY Judge Juan Merchan in his pursuit of falsely labeling Trump a "felon" before his presidency.