Justice Alito rejects demands that he step aside from Jan. 6 cases because of flags

WASHINGTON − Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito rejected calls to recuse himself from cases involving the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, telling members of Congress Wednesday that such calls are politically motivated.

Alito said the flags flown over his homes, which experts say are connected with false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, were raised by his wife and were not in support of the "Stop the Steal" movement. "A reasonable person who is not motivated by political or ideological considerations or a desire to affect the outcome of Supreme Court cases would conclude that this event does not meet the applicable standard for recusal," Alito wrote in a letter to lawmakers. "I am therefore duty-bound to reject your recusal request."

The high court is deciding two cases related to the attempts by former President Donald Trump and his supporters to overturn the results of the election, decisions that will affect the criminal election interference charges pending against Trump.