The New York Times ran a headline claiming that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito displayed a “Stop the Steal” symbol outside his house, but there was no real evidence to support this, just BlueAnon fever-swamp paranoia.
The Times article, written by reporter Jodi Kantor, failed to mention until much later that an upside-down flag, which Alito had displayed, is a symbol of emergency and distress with various historical uses.
Kantor tried to link the flag in Alito’s yard to the “Stop the Steal” protests without solid proof, quoting experts who made unsubstantiated claims. However, Alito denied any political message and stated that his wife had placed the flag in response to a neighbor’s offensive yard sign.
The article raised suspicions about Alito and other conservative justices, implying they may not be impartial in cases related to January 6. Former federal judge Jeremy Fogel called for Alito to recuse himself, but the only confirmed facts were that the flag was displayed after January 6 and a neighbor had a controversial sign.
Overall, the story seemed more about pushing a predetermined narrative against the Supreme Court than presenting solid evidence. This led to widespread speculation and criticism from various sources but lacked substantial support.
