US Supreme Court Justice wrapped in second flag fiasco, flag among those carried by Jan. 6 rioters

ISD Senior Research Analyst Jared Holt spoke to the Associated Press about recently surfaced images of a controversial flag spotted outside the vacation home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito last summer. It’s the second flag scandal linked to the justice, who previously flew an upside US flag following the Jan 6 riots as an alleged sign of “distress.” Jared explained a few of the different reasons people may choose to display the “Appeal to Heaven” flag, including connections with a “patriot” movement centered around the Founding Fathers and the American Revolution or followers of Christian nationalist worldviews seeking to elevate Christianity in public life. The “Appeal to Heaven” flag was also among several carried by Jan. 6 rioters.

“It’s not abundantly clear which of those reasons would be accurate” in Alito’s situation, Jared said. But he called the display outside Alito’s home “alarming,” adding that those who do fly the flag are often advocating for “more intolerant and restrictive forms of government aligned with a specific religious philosophy.”