Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito's Stock Activity Raises Concerns of Partisan Politics

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ICARO Media Group
Politics
20/05/2024 20h18

In a recent financial disclosure filing, it was revealed that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito sold shares of Anheuser-Busch, the beer giant, while conservatives were boycotting the company over its partnership with a transgender influencer. On the same day, Alito purchased an equal amount of stock in Molson Coors, a company that has also faced political boycotts in the past. These transactions have sparked accusations that Alito, one of the court's conservative justices, is engaging in partisan politics, despite a code of conduct that directs the justices to refrain from political activity.

The disclosure filing shows that Alito sold between $1,000 and $15,000 of AB InBev's stock on August 14, 2023. At that time, Anheuser-Busch was still dealing with a boycott campaign aimed at Bud Light after partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in a social media campaign. This partnership ignited a larger debate over transgender rights and acceptance in the United States, leading to backlash from both conservatives and supporters of Mulvaney.

By May 2023, Modelo had replaced Bud Light as the top-selling beer in the U.S., with data showing a nearly 25% drop in Bud Light sales compared to the previous year. Despite the boycott efforts, AB InBev reported better-than-expected profits in the second fiscal quarter of 2023, seemingly unaffected by the controversy.

Alito's shift to Molson Coors is noteworthy given the company's history of facing boycotts from various communities, including Mexican-Americans, Black people, and the LGBTQ community, over workplace practices.

Criticism towards Alito has intensified in recent weeks after a report by The New York Times claimed that an upside-down U.S. flag, a symbol associated with supporters of the pro-Trump "Stop the Steal" conspiracy theory, was flown at his home after the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Alito denied any involvement in inverting the flag and stated that his wife did so briefly in response to a neighbor's offensive yard signs.

The timing of Alito's stock sale has further fueled the critiques against him. Gabe Roth, executive director of the nonprofit judicial watchdog group Fix the Court, suggested that the sale could be considered a political statement if it was indeed a response to the Bud Light controversy. Roth raised concerns about the appearance of bias in future court cases related to transgender rights if the sale was tied to Alito's media intake and political alignment.

The Supreme Court has not yet responded to CNBC's request for comment regarding Alito's stock activities and the timing of the transactions. It is important to note that neither Bud Light nor Molson Coors currently have any pending business before the Supreme Court.

The recent disclosure filings, including Alito's stock transactions, were briefly removed from the Federal Judicial Financial Disclosure Reports database, which raised questions about the system's functionality. However, the reports have since reappeared on the database.

As the court prepares to deliver a ruling on former President Donald Trump's claim of presidential immunity from criminal charges related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, Alito's stock activity has added to the scrutiny surrounding him. With a conservative majority on the bench and skepticism expressed during oral arguments regarding parts of the case against Trump, the court's decision remains highly anticipated.

The views expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of ICARO, or any of its affiliates.

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