Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) on Friday shared his reaction to a new report saying that a symbol associated with the anti-democratic “Stop the Steal” campaign flew at Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s house following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
The New York Times on Thursday reported that an inverted American flag ― a symbol used by those who refused to accept Donald Trump’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election ― was displayed outside Alito’s home in Alexandria, Virginia, on Jan. 17, 2021, citing photos and interviews with neighbors. It’s unclear how long the flag stayed up.
Alito told the Times he had “no involvement” in the display, instead blaming his wife, Martha-Ann Alito.
“It was briefly placed by Mrs. Alito in response to a neighbor’s use of objectionable and personally insulting language on yard signs,” the justice said.
In an interview with “CNN News Central,” Walz took issue with the excuse.
“Let me just say that my wife has never had to explain why she flew a flag upside down at my house,” Walz said. “I mean, this is not normal stuff.”
Walz said he was “stunned” that a member of the high court put himself in a position to have to explain why a symbol of an effort to throw out the result of a free and fair election was displayed outside his residence.
He argued that this underscores why the Democrats need to retain the White House in November’s presidential election, when Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee, is expected to face President Joe Biden once again.
“This is why we need to do our work, we need to focus, we need to reelect Joe Biden, and we need to get this country doing the things Americans want us to do,” Walz said. “This is just insanity.”
“This stuff’s not normal…this is just insanity.”@GovTimWalz responds to NYT reporting that an upside-down American flag, a common symbol for election deniers, was flown outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito after the 2020 election.@JohnBermanpic.twitter.com/0nvNWe0TqV
— CNN News Central (@NewsCentralCNN) May 17, 2024
As the flag flew outside Alito’s home, the court was debating whether to hear challenges to the 2020 presidential race. Ultimately, the justices rejected the cases despite Alito’s objections.
Over the coming weeks, the court is also expected to rule on Trump’s claim that he should be immune from prosecution for all official acts he undertook while in the White House, including apparently his effort to overturn the 2020 election.
The Code of Ethics adopted by the court last year calls for justices to refrain from making political statements.
Walz said he wouldn’t put it past Trump to claim victory in Minnesota this November regardless of the actual outcome, as the former president has previously falsely claimed he won the blue state in 2020.
“That will not stand in Minnesota,” Walz told CNN’s John Berman. “We will stand for democracy. We’ll stand for elections.”
Trump, who is set to campaign in the state Friday after attending his son Barron’s high school graduation, lost Minnesota in both the 2016 and 2020 elections.
