Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito Confirms Call with President-Elect Trump, but Denies Discussing Emergency Application
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito confirmed to Fox News on Wednesday that he spoke with President-elect Donald Trump the day before Trump’s high court appearance, but stated that they did not discuss an emergency application his legal team planned to file to delay the sentencing in the New York hush-money case.
Alito told Fox News’ Shannon Bream that he was asked by his former clerk, William Levi, to take a call from Trump regarding Levi’s qualifications to serve in a government position. Alito praised Levi’s “outstanding resume,” saying he agreed to discuss the matter with Trump, and Trump called him the day before his high court appearance.
Alito reassured that he was not aware of the emergency application at the time of the call and did not discuss any other matter pending or forthcoming before the Supreme Court or any past Supreme Court decisions involving Trump.
Alito emphasized that this is a common practice, as he is often asked to recommend potential employers for former clerks. He served alongside Trump as a member of the Justice Department during his first term and clerked for Alito from 2011 to 2012.
The call has raised concerns from critics, with some calling it an “unmistakable breach of protocol.” Gabe Roth, executive director of the nonpartisan group Fix the Court, stated that “no person, no matter who they are, should engage in out-of-court communication with a judge or justice who’s considering that person’s case.”