Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s Undisclosed Trip to Luxury Fishing Lodge Raises Ethical Concerns

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has come under scrutiny after it was revealed that he accepted a trip to a luxury fishing lodge in Alaska in 2008 from two wealthy Republican donors. The trip was not disclosed on Alito’s financial disclosure for that year, according to a report by ProPublica.

The nonprofit investigative journalism organization reported that Alito flew to a remote corner of Alaska in July 2008 aboard the private plane of businessman and Republican donor, Paul Singer. Singer’s hedge fund has brought roughly a dozen cases before the court since then, and Alito did not recuse himself from participating in any of those cases.

The three-day stay at the King Salmon Lodge was paid for by another wealthy donor, Robin Arkley II, the owner of a mortgage company at the time. Leonard Leo, then a leader of the conservative legal group The Federalist Society, helped make arrangements for the trip, including securing a spot for Alito aboard Singer’s jet.

While Supreme Court justices are required to file annual financial disclosure reports, the high court is not subject to a binding code of conduct that applies to lower court judges. This gives individual justices the latitude to write and enforce their own rules.

Alito disputed the findings in a Wall Street Journal opinion article, stating that he faced no obligation to disclose the details of the trip or recuse himself from cases involving Singer’s hedge fund. He claimed that his interactions with Singer were brief and casual, and they never discussed any case or issue before the court.

The revelation about Alito’s acceptance of the trip comes at a time when the court is facing increased scrutiny over issues of ethics and disclosure. Democrats in Congress have called for legislation that would impose binding ethics rules on the court.

This is not the first time a Supreme Court justice has faced criticism for accepting undisclosed trips. ProPublica previously reported that Justice Clarence Thomas accepted decades of undisclosed trips from Republican megadonor Harlan Crow, including stays at Crow’s private resort and flights aboard his jet.

Since the passage of a Watergate-era law, justices are supposed to report gifts they receive. However, both Thomas and Alito have argued that a “personal hospitality” provision in the law exempts them.

In March, the federal judiciary increased disclosure requirements for all judges, including the high court justices. However, overnight stays at personal vacation homes owned by friends remain exempt from disclosure.

The lodge where Alito stayed was known for attracting celebrities and wealthy businessmen, charging guests $1,000 a night. A picture from the trip published by ProPublica shows Alito in hip waders with a fishing guide, posing with a massive king salmon.

Alito defended the accommodations, describing the lodge as “comfortable but rustic” and disputing claims about expensive wine being served during the trip. He stated that he could not recall whether wine was served, but if it was, it certainly was not wine that costs $1,000.

Should Supreme Court justices be held to a stricter code of conduct similar to lower court judges in order to avoid potential conflicts of interest?

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is facing criticism following revelations that he accepted a trip to a luxurious fishing lodge in Alaska in 2008, which was not disclosed on his financial disclosure for that year. According to a report by ProPublica, Alito flew to a remote part of Alaska on the private plane of businessman and Republican donor, Paul Singer, who has brought numerous cases before the court since then. Alito did not recuse himself from any of these cases.

The three-day stay at the King Salmon Lodge was paid for by Robin Arkley II, a wealthy donor and the owner of a mortgage company at the time. The trip was arranged by Leonard Leo, who was then a leader of the conservative legal group The Federalist Society, and he secured a spot for Alito aboard Singer’s private jet.

Unlike lower court judges, Supreme Court justices are not bound by a strict code of conduct. While they are required to file annual financial disclosure reports, the high court has a degree of flexibility in its rules. This allows individual justices to interpret and report their finances as they see fit.