Alito States He Did Not Talk About Emergency Motion During Call with Trump

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito stated that he spoke with President-elect Donald Trump over the phone on January 7 to recommend one of his former law clerks for a government role, but they did not touch on the forthcoming emergency motion or any other legal issues.

Alito further noted that they did not engage in discussion about “any other pending matters or any future cases that might come before the Supreme Court or any past Supreme Court rulings related to the President-elect.”

Trump’s legal team requested that the court suspend the sentencing until the issues surrounding presidential immunity are clarified.

They contended that proceeding with the sentencing could lead to “grave injustice and damage to the institution of the Presidency and the functioning of the federal government.”

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Trump’s legal representatives submitted the emergency petition to the Supreme Court after a New York appeals court turned down an earlier request to defer Friday’s sentencing.

The Supreme Court has asked New York prosecutors to submit a response by January 9.

‘Unmistakable Breach of Protocol’

While it’s not uncommon for justices to provide recommendations for former clerks seeking government and law firm roles, the timing of Alito’s conversation with Trump has faced criticism.

Gabe Roth, executive director of the nonpartisan organization Fix the Court, remarked that the call constituted “an unmistakable breach of protocol.”

“No individual, regardless of their status, should communicate out-of-court with a judge or justice deliberating their case,” Roth stated.

The court’s ruling stemmed from an unrelated case involving Trump, but his lawyers assert that it bolsters their claims that his New York conviction should be annulled.

The Epoch Times has reached out to a Trump spokesperson for comments.

Chase Smith and The Associated Press contributed to this report.