The wife of embattled Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito allegedly spat at the car of a neighbor with whom she had become embroiled in a weeks-long argument.
A young couple living near the Alitos’ residence in Fairfax County, Virginia, ultimately rang the police, claiming that they were being harassed by Martha-Ann Alito, according to a new report from The New York Times.
It comes after several reports from the newspaper, which detailed how flags used by supporters of Donald Trump’s “Stop The Steal” campaign had appeared at two properties owned by the right-wing justice and his wife.
The Alitos had reportedly flown an upside-down American flag on the front lawn of their Virginia property in late 2020 and early 2021, in the days after Joe Biden took office.
Mr Alito previously said the inverted American flag was flown “for a short time” by his wife amid a dispute with neighbors, and he had no part in it.
On Tuesday, The Times reported that a couple living down the street from the Alitos, had called police on 15 February 2021, with claims of repeated hostile encounters with Ms Alito.
“Somebody in a position of authority needs to talk to her and make her stop,” said the man making the complaint, according to a recording of the call reviewed by the outlet.
The call to authorities was placed following a series of interactions which had reportedly worsened, between the young, liberal couple, and the wife of the conservative judge.
However, Emily Baden, whose boyfriend, and now-husband, had contacted the police, said she had no knowledge of the controversial upside-down flag – despite Justice Alito’s reference to her in his explanation.
“I never saw the upside-down flag, never heard about it,” she told the newspaper. Ms Baden admitted to being rude to Ms Alito with “vulgar” words placed on a sign.
Justice Alito later elaborated on the arguments, telling a reporter from Fox News that on one occasion: “There were words between Mrs Alito and a male at the home with the sign,” the network reported.
The judge said the man used “vulgar language, ‘including the C-word,’” After that exchange, “Mrs Alito was distraught and hung the flag upside-down,” according to the reporter.
The Baden family disputed the version of events, stating that Ms Alito had been the instigator of the conflict, The New York Times reported.
A specific incident recalled by the Badens occurred on the day of Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration, which the Alitos – like former president Trump – did not attend.
Per the Badens, Ms Alito happened to be standing outside her house as they drove past. According to messages they sent to friends at the time, the couple claimed Ms Alito ran toward their car and yelled something they did not understand.
They claimed they had continued driving and as they passed the Alito home again to exit the cul-de-sac, Ms Alito appeared to spit toward the vehicle.
The upside down flag – that until now has been the source of the controversy surrounding the Alitos – was visible up to 17 January 2021, the newspaper reported, 11 days after the violent insurrection in Washington DC, and three days before Mr Biden’s inauguration.
The traditional military distress symbol was repurposed as a political symbol to indicate rejection of the legitimacy of Mr Biden’s election victory.
The outlet also reported last week that another flag carried by January 6 rioters was seen flying outside the Alitos’ beach home in New Jersey on multiple occasions last year.
The “Appeal to Heaven” flag, which was carried by rioters during the pro-Trump attack on the US Capitol in 2021, was flown outside the Alitos’ vacation home during the summer of 2023. Also known as the “Pine Tree flag”, it dates back to the Revolutionary War.
Three photos obtained by the newspaper, along with accounts from a half-dozen neighbors and passers-by given to the outlet, confirmed that the “Appeal to Heaven” flag was flying at the Alitos’ home on Long Beach Island in July and September of 2023.
The Independent previously contacted the Supreme Court for comment about the flag outside the Alitos’ New Jersey property. Justice Alito declined to comment to the Associated Press.
