Former national security adviser John Bolton on Wednesday fiercely defended Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito against a barrage of criticism after reporting that at one point two flags associated with the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol were displayed outside his home. .
“Absolutely not,” Bolton told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer when asked if recent reporting about the flag has raised concerns about whether he can serve impartially on the Supreme Court.
“I think it is outrageous and outrageous and unacceptable for people to take an American Revolutionary flag and say that because some January 6th protesters flew it, that it is now unacceptable to fly that flag, and I would like to hear from a Democratic Party politician they expressly say so,” added Bolton, who has frequently criticized former President Trump and the risk he says Trump poses to the country’s national security.
An “Appeal to Heaven” flag — which has origins dating back to the Revolutionary War but is associated with Christian nationalism and “Stop the Steal” efforts today — was seen flying outside Alito’s New Jersey beach house. in July and September 2023, the Times reported. , around the same time a high-profile case on January 6 reached the Supreme Court.
The flag was also raised by protesters at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Wednesday’s report comes just days after the newspaper reported that an inverted American flag flew outside Alito’s Virginia home in January 2021 — around the time rioters stormed the Capitol as Congress was set to convene. certify Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 elections over former President Trump.
The inverted flag is also associated with the “Stop the Steal” movement that grew out of false allegations of voter fraud in 2020. Alito said his wife hung the flag during a fight with neighbors, but did not deny its political association.
“The 6th of January people raised a lot of flags,” Bolton said, before offering some examples. “They do not have the right or ability to expropriate a patriotic symbol of the United States and then have everyone say that symbol belongs to them and condemn Sam Alito or anyone else for flying that flag.
“I think what is unacceptable is this rush to find some reason to criticize Alito,” Bolton added.
Blitzer repeatedly pressed Bolton on the fact that flags now have political implications for certain groups, and noted that supporters of the so-called “Stop the Steal” movement celebrated reports about flags at Alito’s homes.
Bolton grew increasingly animated as he insisted the flags had no political implications and rebuked those who said otherwise, adding: “They don’t. This is simply wrong. That’s just wrong” and “Well, they have no political implications for me.”
“It’s controversial for liberals who want Sam Alito. It’s not controversial to me and I’m as against Donald Trump as anyone I know in this country,” Bolton said.
Bolton said Alito “certainly should not recuse himself” from the upcoming Jan. 6 cases before the Supreme Court.
“There is no indication that the intention was to express any support for January 6th. And I will tell you, those who are using this tactic against Alito now, it will come back to haunt them,” he said.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
