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Alito in the hot seat over trips to Alaska and Rome he accepted from groups and individuals who lobby the Supreme Court | CNN Politics

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Alito in the hot seat over trips to Alaska and Rome he accepted from groups and individuals who lobby the Supreme Court | CNN Politics




CNN
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Concerns about ethics and transparency at the Supreme Court have been reignited this week after Justice Samuel Alito acknowledged attending a luxury fishing trip on the private jet of a conservative hedge fund manager.

ProPublica detailed the 2008 trip with Paul Singer. Alito, the report said, did not report the trip or the flight he took on the private jet to Alaska on his annual financial disclosure, and also did not recuse himself from cases before the court involving Singer’s hedge fund. Alito denied any wrongdoing.

While much of the recent criticism about Supreme Court ethics and activities of justices has been leveled at Justice Clarence Thomas – for failing to disclose luxury travel and gifts from GOP megadonor Harlan Crow, a 2014 real estate deal he made with the billionaire real estate magnate, or Crow’s reported tuition payments for Thomas’ grandnephew – other justices have also come under scrutiny.

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Last July, Alito was feted in Rome by Notre Dame’s Religious Liberty Initiative, which has in recent years joined the growing ranks of conservative legal activists who are finding new favor at the Supreme Court – and forging ties with the justices. The group’s legal clinic has filed a series of “friend-of-the-court” briefs in religious liberty cases before the Supreme Court since its founding in 2020.

After the high court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, the group paid for Alito’s trip to Rome to deliver a keynote address at a gala hosted at a palace in the heart of the city. It was his first known public appearance after the decision.

At the start of his speech, he thanked the group for the “warm hospitality” it provided to him and his wife, which, he later said, included a stay at a hotel that “looks out over the Roman Forum.”

During various parts of the address, he gleefully mocked critics of his ruling overturning the constitutional right to abortion. What really “wounded” him, the conservative justice said, was when Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, “addressed the United Nations and seemed to compare ‘the decision whose name may not be spoken’ with the Russian attack on the Ukraine.”

Justices are often known for usually maintaining a low profile, and the court’s public information office in recent years has been less forthcoming about their public appearances. But the court’s ruling last year in the abortion case propelled the nine jurists and their rulings to new heights and fueled new questions about the justices’ behavior both on and off the bench.

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Alito joined the majority in ruling in favor of the Religious Liberty Initiative’s position in several of the cases for which it submitted briefs, including the one that reversed Roe, which he authored, and a 2022 decision that said a high school football coach had the right to pray on the 50-yard line after games.

Stephanie Barclay, the Religious Liberty Initiative’s director, confirmed to CNN that the group paid for Alito’s trip to Rome last year.

“Like the other speakers and panelists at the summit, Justice Alito’s transportation and lodging were covered and of course, he had meals provided like all attendees,” she said. “Unlike other speakers, no honorarium was given.”

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Harlan Crow denies influence over Justice Thomas

The practice of paying for justices to travel around the world to speak is not uncommon for well-funded legal advocacy groups and law schools seeking to fete one of the nine jurists, and the rules of the judiciary’s policy-making body, the Judicial Conference, allow for such entities to reimburse justices for expenses stemming from such travel.

Alito stressed in a statement to CNN that his invitation to speak in Rome was not specifically from the initiative’s clinic, which submits the briefs to the court.

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“My understanding is that Notre Dame Law School’s Religious Liberty Initiative has a number of components, only one of which is a clinic that, like the legal clinics at many other law schools, files amicus briefs in the Supreme Court,” the statement said. “I was not invited to speak in Rome by the clinic.”

The majority of the justices met a deadline in early June to release their annual financial disclosure forms, but Alito – along with Thomas – got an extension, meaning more details about Alito’s 2022 travels will likely not be seen until after the end of the current Supreme Court term.

Alito’s decision not to disclose the 2008 trip with Singer on his annual financial forms at the time or recuse himself from cases concerning the billionaire’s hedge fund, has generated new controversy for the jurist, with lawmakers saying it underscores the need for ethics reforms at the court.

Washington, UNITED STATES:  US Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito is sworn in before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing 09 January 2006 on Capitol Hill in Washington. Opposition Democrats signaled 08 January that they would use Alito's public audition before Congress to keep applying pressure on US President George W. Bush's political agenda.    AFP PHOTO/Jim WATSON  (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Who is Justice Samuel Alito?

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There are personal connections between the Religious Liberty Initiative and the high court as well.

A few months after Justice Amy Coney Barrett was sworn in at the Supreme Court in 2020, leaving her appellate court judgeship and job as a Notre Dame law professor, she sold her private residence to a recently hired professor who was taking on a leadership position at the initiative. Accountable.us, a left-leaning non-profit group, discovered the home sale.

Neither Barrett’s real estate deal nor Alito’s appearance in Italy appear to violate any of the court’s ethics rules, according to several experts interviewed by CNN.

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“It raises a question – not so much of corruption as such, but of whether disclosures, our current system of disclosures, is adequate to the task,” said Kathleen Clark, a Washington University in St. Louis Law School professor who specializes in government ethics, of Barrett’s real estate transaction.

Accountable.us president Kyle Herrig said in a statement: “Every federal judge is bound to an ethics code requiring them to avoid behavior that so much as looks improper, except for Supreme Court justices. Chief Justice (John) Roberts has the power to change that, but so far he hasn’t shown the courage. If he fails to do his job, Congress must do theirs.”

The sale of Barrett’s South Bend, Indiana, home to Brendan Wilson, a Washington, DC, attorney who was moving to the state to work for the law school and serve on the initiative’s leadership team, for $905,000 was not required to be disclosed on annual financial forms at the court. Federal regulations exempt sales of the “personal residence of the filer and the filer’s spouse” from transactions federal judges are required to report.

The home sold in May 2021 and Wilson started at Notre Dame that August. In a news release from late 2021 announcing he and two others had joined the group, Wilson is quoted as saying, “When we were presented with the opportunity to move back to South Bend, and to work with the Religious Liberty Initiative, we both felt it was the prompting of the Holy Spirit.”

But given Wilson’s role at the initiative and the work its legal clinic is involved in, some experts said the sale is yet another reason why some rules at the Supreme Court should be changed to provide the public with a more robust understanding of connections between the justices and those involved in legal advocacy before the nation’s highest court.

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“The court, frankly, it faces a kind of legitimacy crisis because of the really dire weaknesses of its ethics,” Clark said. “It has the opportunity to address that legitimacy crisis by, you know, stepping up its ethics game – imposing on itself and then abiding by additional disclosure operations.”

At the court, even the slightest appearance of impropriety raises red flags with Democratic lawmakers and watchdog groups, some of which have lodged formal complaints against justices to the Judicial Conference for actions they deem problematic.

Barrett’s home sale to Wilson makes her the third member of the Supreme Court who has made money from property transactions with influential conservative figures or people with close connections to legal advocacy before the nation’s highest court.

Barrett did not respond to a request for comment.

After Thomas’ deal with Crow was revealed, Politico reported that Justice Neil Gorsuch sold a vacation home in 2017 he co-owned to the chief executive of a major law firm that has argued cases before the court and didn’t name the buyer in his disclosure forms.

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Charles Geyh, a law professor at Indiana University and a legal ethics expert, stressed that although Barrett’s home sale did not violate any rules, it presents a “perception problem” for a court already facing intense public scrutiny.

“It is addressed by the court being much more vigilant in guarding against perception problems created by (the justices’) financial wheelings and dealings and going the extra mile to make sure that they not only are clean, but look clean,” he said.

The initiative and lawyers associated with it have filed at least nine amicus briefs before the Supreme Court since the sale went through, urging rulings in favor of conservative positions on issues like abortion, school prayer, and coronavirus restrictions on churches.

Barclay told CNN that many people connected with the group help compile the briefs they submit to the court, but stressed that Wilson “really could not be further removed from Supreme Court litigation.”

A brief biography for Wilson on the group’s page says he is responsible “for the transactional component of the Religious Liberty Clinic.” A recent job posting from the RLI explained the clinic’s transactional component includes legal work advising religiously affiliated organizations.

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Wilson did not respond to interview requests by CNN.



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Alaska

‘Fearless’ Shaktoolik boys basketball team dominates en route to first-ever 1A state title

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‘Fearless’ Shaktoolik boys basketball team dominates en route to first-ever 1A state title


Seth Paniptchuk of Shaktoolik celebrates a basket against Cook Inlet Academy in the Alaska state 1A boys championship game at the UAA Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Bob Hallinen Photo)

There were plenty of apt adjectives for the Shaktoolik boys basketball team and its performance Saturday at Alaska Airlines Arena.

“Fearless,” guard Seth Paniptchuk said.

“Confident,” Wolverines head coach Silas Paniptchuk said with a broad smile.

After the Wolverines’ 76-55 dismantling of Cook Inlet Academy, guard Chase Katchatag may have found the perfect descriptor.

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“Historic,” he said.

With the victory in the Alaska 1A state title game, Shaktoolik earned its first boys basketball title in school history.

Austin Rock of Cook Inlet Academy comes up with the ball during a scramble on the floor against Shaktoolik in the Alaska state 1A boys championship game at the UAA Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Bob Hallinen Photo)

The Wolverines did so with a combination of energy, enthusiasm and skill, jumping out to a 23-13 lead after one quarter and refusing to take a foot off the accelerator.

“It’s become the standard for this group,” Silas Paniptchuk said. “You know, they get so hyped up for basketball. You put them out there on the court with a ball, they just want to go get it. It’s definitely fun to watch.”

The crowd roared its approval as the Shaktoolik players raced up and down the court, scoring in all manners and using an opportunistic defensive approach.

A solid second quarter by Cook Inlet Academy left the Shaktoolik lead at 41-33 at half.

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Ryan Evan of Shaktoolik goes up for the basket as Ian McGarry of Cook Inlet Academy defends in the Alaska state 1A boys championship game at the UAA Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Bob Hallinen Photo)

Cook Inlet Academy’s Alek McGarry had a standout first half to keep the Eagles close. He was 8 of 10 from the floor and finished with 22 first-half points. McGarry led all scorers with 31 total points. His brother Ian McGarry added 16.

“We just had to stay pumped up and keep the momentum,” Seth Paniptchuk said. “The McGarry brothers are great players, so we just had to stay in it and try to contain them.”

And while Cook Inlet Academy crept closer in the third quarter, Shaktoolik simply could not be denied.

They maintained a double-figure lead after three quarters and ran away with the game in the fourth.

The two teams played twice during the regular season with Shaktoolik winning both games.

“Every time we played them, we wanted to apply a lot of pressure with our full-court press,” Silas Paniptchuk said. “That was kind of the same game plan today … The boys are really good at it.”

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Janet Kiyutelluk and other fans cheer on Shaktoolik as they take on Cook Inlet Academy in the Alaska state 1A Boys championship game at the UAA Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, AK on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Bob Hallinen Photo)

The Wolverines challenged shots and passing lanes all game, finishing with 22 combined blocks and steals.

Chase Katchatag finished with 22 points, while Seth Paniptchuk added 20. Ryan Evan added 16 for the Wolverines.

“I’m just proud of them,” Silas Paniptchuk said. “You know, they come to practice from day one. They come to practice at Christmas. They come to practice on weekends, if we have them. I’m just ever so proud that, you know, they take the time to commit to what we’re trying to accomplish here. And it paid off.”

With just eight players, the Shaktoolik bench was short, but a number of them are also cross-country athletes.

“I love these boys,” Seth Paniptchuk said. “They always they get up for practice every day and they’re fearless. I love playing with them.”





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Opinion: Affordable health care is critical for a strong Alaskan workforce

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Opinion: Affordable health care is critical for a strong Alaskan workforce


(iStock / Getty Images)

I’ve had the pleasure of living in Alaska for almost 60 years, and for much of that time, I’ve worked to build and promote a strong visitor industry in the state. Alaska is one of the finest destinations in the world, and tourism is one of our most renewable resources. It’s a significant contributor to the economy and a major source of new business growth and innovation. Last year alone, the travel industry generated $5.6 billion and supported over 48,000 jobs.

As the industry grows, so does its workforce needs. But Alaska’s population is aging, the working-age population is dwindling, and we’ve experienced net outmigration for over a decade. For our industry to thrive, we must retain the talent we have and attract more young professionals to Alaska.

Health care access and affordability are essential to recruitment and retention. It’s fundamental to our quality of life, and yet Alaska has some of the highest health care costs in the nation.

Over 27,000 Alaskans buy health insurance on the individual market. Many are self-employed, small-business owners or young professionals. More than 80% of them qualified for the enhanced premium tax credit which significantly lowered their annual premium. Unfortunately, this popular and effective credit expires this year, which will more than double insurance costs for thousands of Alaskans. Worse, it could result in many not being able to afford coverage at all.

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To build and grow our tourism industry, we must invest in the people who power it. Let’s do what we can to make Alaska a more affordable place to live and work. Extending the enhanced premium tax credit will help support working families and small businesses critical to keeping our industry strong.

Mary Pignalberi has spent 50 years working in the Alaska tourism industry. She served as director of the Alaska Division of Tourism and the State Film Office.

• • •

The views expressed here are the writer’s and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)adn.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Read our full guidelines for letters and commentaries here.





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Don't 'mess with Alaska,' U.S. senator warns, even as state Republicans affirm friendship with Canada | CBC News

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Don't 'mess with Alaska,' U.S. senator warns, even as state Republicans affirm friendship with Canada | CBC News


As state-level Republicans in Alaska work to affirm their close relationship with Canada amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and threats of annexation, an Alaskan senator has warned British Columbia’s premier that “you don’t want to mess with Alaska.”

Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan of the Republican Party made the remarks in an interview with an Anchorage radio station posted to his Facebook page.

During the conversation, which touched on topics ranging from energy development to Ukraine, Sullivan, one of two senators who represent the state in Washington, was asked about B.C. introducing legislation that grants the province the ability to levy new fees on U.S. commercial trucks heading to Alaska.

“I don’t know the premiers of the different provinces but it is a bit of a dangerous game,” Sullivan said before launching into his desire to repeal, either through the senate or by executive order from Trump, the Passenger Vessel Services Act. 

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Under the act, foreign-built ships are not allowed to carry passengers between two U.S. ports without a stopover in a foreign country. The law is meant to protect U.S. shipping interests, much the same as the Jones Act which applies the same rules to cargo ships.

Many Alaska-bound cruise ships stop in B.C. — primarily Vancouver but also Nanaimo, Victoria and Prince Rupert — bringing in significant tourism revenue to the province’s economy.

Sullivan said in a radio interview that preventing cruise ships from stopping in B.C. ports would cost Western Canada billions of dollars in tourism revenue. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

Sullivan says he would like to see that rule repealed, noting it was done when COVID-19 restrictions were in place.

“Canada, you don’t want to mess with Alaska. And if you do, we are going to work hard on having our cruise ships bypass your ports, and that will help our economy tremendously,” Sullivan said. “They’re playing a dangerous game here, and I hope they back down.”

‘We can’t imagine Alaska without Canada’

B.C. Premier David Eby said he had no current plans to enact tolls but he wants the ability to do so should Trump escalate his actions against Canada.

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“This is not something that we would do lightly,” he told reporters Friday. “We know the consequences for Alaskans are a big deal. We would expect them to respond in kind. Trade wars only hurt people.”

He hopes Alaskans worried about the fallout of a trade war will speak up.

“We need Alaskans to send a message to Donald Trump about how intertwined we are, about the connections between our economies,” he said.

David Eby gestures in the air in front of a large Canadian flag.
B.C. Premier David Eby speaks on the lawn on the legislature in Victoria on March 6, 2025. He says he wants Alaskans to send a message to U.S. President Donald Trump about ‘how intertwined we are.” (Mike McArthur/CBC)

That message was heard in Alaska’s state capitol building on Friday afternoon when Republican Rep. Chuck Kopp tabled a House Joint Resolution, Recognizing and honoring the relationship between Canada and Alaska, which he described as “an unqualified affirmation of the strong bonds of friendship, shared history, mutual defence and support that have bound our state to Canada over centuries.”

An almost identical Senate Joint Resolution is also moving through Alaska’s senate, sponsored by Republican Cathy Giessel, who has also spoken out against the trade war.

“The friendship, trust and affection that we hold for our Canadian neighbours extends to their identity as citizens of the sovereign nation of Canada,” Kopp said at Friday’s meeting, gesturing to a map of the two countries. “We can’t imagine Alaska without Canada.”

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Kopp and several other speakers highlighted the joint effort to build the Alaska Highway from northern B.C. to Alaska during the Second World War, as well as the number of families and friendships that span both sides of the border.

A man stands at a podium.
Rep. Chuck Kopp has tabled a house joint resolution that affirms “the strong bonds” between Alaska and Canada. (Becky Bohrer/The Associated Press)

Also invited to speak was Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai, the president of the Arctic Winter Games and several members of the border community of Skagway, Alaska. 

Skagway Vice-Mayor Deb Potter called on politicians to “think of Alaskans over your party,” and encouraged them to affirm the resolution, which is still moving through the house.

Kopp said he hoped the messages coming from Alaskans would be heard by the powers that be elsewhere in the United States.

“The temperature is rising between the countries based on economic reasons,” he said. “This resolution recognizes that relationships matter and are far more important than maybe the almighty dollar at times.”



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