In a newly released secretly recorded conversation, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito expressed strong criticism of the mainstream media, particularly the liberal investigative outlet ProPublica. The recording, captured by progressive documentary filmmaker Lauren Windsor and her colleague Ally Sammarco during a dinner hosted by the Supreme Court Historical Society on June 3, revealed Alito's views on what he calls a well-funded ideological campaign against the Supreme Court.
The Recording And Its Context
Windsor, who used her real name but presented herself as a Christian conservative to gain access to the event, recorded Alito surreptitiously. Her tapes have stirred controversy and will do so again, especially considering Alito's frank opinion about media coverage scrutinizing the Supreme Court and its impact on the judiciary. (RELATED: Liberal Activist Secretly Records Alito's Wife Vowing Revenge: Report)
A Partisan Campaign
In the latest recording, Alito pointedly criticizes ProPublica, accusing the nonprofit of being part of a larger, well-funded campaign aimed at discrediting the Supreme Court. He argued that the organization's investigative efforts are driven by ideological motives, particularly highlighting their scrutiny of Justice Clarence Thomas.
“ProPublica gets a lot of … money, and they have spent a fortune investigating Clarence Thomas, for example,” Alito told Windsor when asked to elaborate. “You know, everything he's ever done in his entire life. And they've done some of that to me, too. But they … look for any little thing they can find, and they try to make something out of it. That's, that's what it is.”
ProPublica's Response
ProPublica argues that its journalism is fiercely independent. The organization has stood by its investigative work, reporting undisclosed luxury trips, gifts and out-of-court activities involving justices and wealthy donors. The reports, collectively known as the “Friends of the Court” series, won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service last month. The outlet asserts that its efforts to scrutinize public figures are solely motivated by a commitment to transparency and accountability.
“ProPublica exposes abuses of power no matter which party is in charge and our newsroom operates with fierce independence,” a ProPublica spokesperson told The Hill. “No donors are made aware of stories before they are published, nor do they have a say as to which stories reporters pursue,” they added. “More than 55,000 donors of every stripe actively fund our investigative, nonpartisan journalism.”
Despite their denials, ProPublica's donor base leans significantly liberal. According to their own survey, about a third of their readers view the organization as having a liberal slant, while around 27% see it as moderate and 40% believe it to be objective. Less than 1% consider it conservative. (RELATED: MSNBC Host Airs Concerns Trump Will Throw Her In ‘Camp' During Second Term)
Conclusion
The latest recording will no doubt intensify calls from progressives for greater accountability within the Supreme Court.
Some congressional Democrats are already advocating for measures such as the introduction of legislation to increase congressional oversight of the court. This could include implementing stricter ethical standards and recusal rules for justices.
Additionally, ongoing discussions continue on the left about broader so-called reforms to the Supreme Court, including expanding the number of justices. This idea, known as “court-packing,” ostensibly aims to balance the ideological leanings of the court.
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