The Washington Submit revealed on Saturday that the outlet initially handed on the Samuel Alito flag story in 2021 after its former Supreme Court docket reporter had a confrontation over it with the justice’s spouse.
“The Post decided not to report on the episode at the time because the flag-raising appeared to be the work of Martha-Ann Alito, rather than the justice, and connected to a dispute with her neighbors,” the Washington Submit report stated, citing a spokesperson for the paper. “It was not clear then that the argument was rooted in politics.”
Former Washington Submit Supreme Court docket reporter Robert Barnes went to the Alitos’ residence in 2021 after receiving a tip on the flag. In keeping with the outlet, Alito’s spouse, Martha-Ann, shouted, “It’s an international signal of distress” after being probed by the reporter on the flag.
An upside-down American flag, an emblem utilized by the previous president’s supporters who falsely declare President Biden didn’t win the 2020 election, was seen flying at Alito’s residence within the weeks following the Jan. 6 riot, The New York Instances first reported final week.
Alito beforehand informed Fox Information that his spouse was the one who hung the flag in response to insults from a neighbor.
Cameron Barr, the previous senior managing editor, took duty for not operating the story on the time, in response to Semafor.
“I agreed with [Supreme Court reporter] Bob Barnes and others that we should not do a single-slice story about the flag, because it seemed like the story was about Martha-Ann Alito and not her husband,” Barr informed the outlet.
Semafor referred to the choice as “cautious and deferential, and very pre-Dobbs,” suggesting it meant extra now after the Supreme Court docket’s conservative majority overturned Roe v. Wade.
“Now, it’s hard to imagine,” the outlet wrote.
Members of the media and distinguished Democratic lawmakers are calling on Alito to recuse himself from all instances earlier than the courtroom which are associated to Donald Trump. Conservatives have stated the story is way ado about nothing and a part of a wider effort to delegitimize the Supreme Court docket.
“In retrospect, I should have pushed harder for that story,” Barr informed Semafor.
Alito’s spouse reportedly informed the Washington Submit reporter to ask their neighbors what they did and informed the reporter to get off their property.
One other image carried by Trump supporters, an “Appeal to Heaven” flag, was seen flying at a seaside residence owned by Alito in New Jersey, the New York Instances reported days after their preliminary report. The flag, also referred to as the Pine Tree flag, dates again to the Revolutionary Struggle.
