Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said in an interview that he is considering retiring next year.
Alito stated that harassment and physical threats judges are receiving now represent a new danger to the judicial system.
“We are not part of any political movement,” Alito said. “And we are not attempting to further any political agenda.”
Jan Crawford, a chief legal correspondent, asked him if there was a decision requiring particular courage, and he identified the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade as the leading example.
“I think that required courage by all of the justices in the majority,” Alito said.
“Of course … we didn’t know it at the time,” he added. “We didn’t know it when we produced the draft that was leaked, but it required courage to go ahead with that because of the implications.”
He said he had even lost old friendships due to that decision.
“That’s something you have to live with,” Alito added.
“Is that just part of the job being a justice?” Crawford asked. “You’re going to lose friends, you’re going to get protested, you’re going to have death threats, and you’ll have to wear a bulletproof vest today?”
“It’s part of the job that you’re going to displease people by making decisions on controversial matters,” Alito responded. “Because one side or the other is going to really dislike you because of the decisions.”
“The physical threats and harassment represent something new in our society and something quite disturbing,” he said. “And I think it’s a danger. It’s a danger for the courts.”
“And it’s a danger for others in public life,” Alito warned.
The 76-year-old justice noted he would consider retiring next year but said predicting the political circumstances surrounding his decision was difficult.
He also criticized recent presidents for being more vitriolic in their opposition to Supreme Court decisions.
“Did President Donald Trump change that?” Crawford asked.
“It’s been bipartisan,” Alito replied.
“I want to be evenhanded on this. The criticism of the court by President Joe Biden and justices by President Biden and his administration was very harsh. And President Trump has been very harsh.”
He denied that judges had a partisan motivation.
“We are not part of any political movement,” Alito said. “And we are not attempting to further any political agenda. We are trying to interpret the Constitution as best we can and apply it in cases that come before us.”
