By Charles Switzer
1:42pm PST, Jan 10, 2025
Justice Alito's Call to Donald Trump
Supreme Court Justice
Samuel Alito confirmed speaking with
President-elect Donald Trump on January 7, 2025, to endorse his former law clerk,
William Levi, for a role in Trump's upcoming administration.
Alito stressed that their conversation was limited to Levi's qualifications and did not touch on any legal matters. However, the timing of the call — just before Trump's legal team filed an emergency request with the Supreme Court— raised eyebrows and questions about judicial impartiality.
What was discussed? Read on to get all the details.
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Trump's Hush Money Case: A Race Against Sentencing?
Hours after the Alito-Trump call, Trump's legal team submitted an emergency application to the Supreme Court, seeking to delay his sentencing in the New York hush money case on Friday, January 10. The high court previously heard
immunity claims for the former president in April 2024.
Alito claimed he was unaware of this filing during his conversation with Trump. Despite the effort, the Supreme Court later rejected the request, allowing sentencing to proceed with the incoming leader of the free world avoiding jail time in Friday's ruling,
The New York Times reported.
William Levi's 'Stellar' Credentials
Levi, the focus of Justice Alito's recommendation, clerked for Alito from 2011 to 2012 and later served as Chief of Staff to
Attorney General Bill Barr. Known for his strong conservative credentials, Levi is reportedly being considered for high-ranking legal positions in Trump's administration, including General Counsel for the Department of Defense.
A 'Rare' Presidential-Justice Interaction Sparks Debate
Direct communication between a Supreme Court Justice and a President-elect is uncommon, particularly when the latter had active cases before the Supreme Court.
"I was not even aware at the time of our conversation that such an application would be filed," Alito shared in a statement.
Legal analysts note that while it's not unusual for justices to recommend former clerks, the timing and context of Alito's call to Trump have fueled concerns over judicial neutrality and the appearance of bias when
rulings are being analyzed.
Public Scrutiny Mounts Over Alito's Call
Gabe Roth of Fix the Court, described the phone call as "an unmistakable breach of protocol."
"No person, no matter who they are, should engage in out-of-court communication with a judge or justice who's considering that person's case," he stated.
A representative for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Carrie Severino, president of JCN, a conservative organization that has supported Trump's judicial nominees, characterized the call in a social media post as a "manufactured 'ethics' scandal over a simple reference check" and accused critics of using it to "smear" the justice.
No Jail Time for Trump
Trump, convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments to adult film star
Stormy Daniels, was sentenced on Friday, January 10, just days before his inauguration as the nation's 47th Commander-in-Chief.
Judge Juan Merchan issued an unconditional discharge, meaning Trump will face no jail time or fines, making him the first U.S. president to take office with a felony conviction. The billionaire mogul denounced the case as a politically motivated "witch hunt" and plans to appeal the conviction.
