A liberal activist went undercover at a charity event, obtaining recordings that have brought new scrutiny to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

Politics

Reaction to conservative Supreme Court justices secretly recorded at Gala

Jun 11

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

A recent undercover operation by liberal activist Lauren Windsor, who posed as a Catholic conservative at a charity event, has brought new scrutiny to the U.S. Supreme Court. Windsor, known for covertly recording prominent Republicans, secretly recorded conversations with conservative Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts.

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The release of this audio has reignited debates over the court’s credibility, coinciding with the anticipated rulings on several high-profile cases in June.

“As a Catholic and as someone who like really cherishes my faith, I just don’t, I don’t know that we can negotiate with the left in the way that needs to happen for the polarization to end,” Windsor said to Alito. “I think it’s a matter of like, winning.”

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“I think you’re probably right,” Alito responded. “On one side or the other — one side or the other is going to win. I don’t know. I mean, there can be a way of working, a way of living together peacefully, but it’s difficult, you know, because there are differences on fundamental things that really can’t be compromised. They really can’t be compromised. So, it’s not like you are going to split the difference.”

“People in this country who believe in God have got to keep fighting for that, to return our country to a place of godliness,” Windsor said.

“Well I agree with you,” Alito said. “I agree with you.”

These remarks have led some Democrats to question whether personal beliefs might influence judicial decisions on politically sensitive cases.

https://twitter.com/lawindsor/status/1800201786403504421

Justice Roberts, however, defended the court’s role, emphasizing its duty to decide cases impartially.

“You don’t think there’s, like, a role for the court in guiding us toward a more moral path?” Windsor asked Roberts.

“No, I think the role for the court is deciding the cases,” Roberts said. “If I start — would you want me to be in charge of guiding us toward a more moral path? That’s for the people we elect. That’s not for lawyers.”

“I believe that the founders were godly, were Christians, and I think that we live in a Christian nation, and that our Supreme Court should be guiding us in that path,” Windsor said.

“I don’t know if that’s true,” Roberts said. “I don’t know that we live in a Christian nation. I know a lot of Jewish and Muslim friends who would say, ‘Maybe not,’ and it’s not our job to do that. It’s our job to decide the cases as best we can.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., has been vocal calling for Supreme Court ethics reform. He criticized Justice Alito, saying, “Alito is becoming a loose cannon turned on the court itself. He mocks ethics.”

In contrast, conservative advocacy groups like the Judicial Crisis Network released a statement dismissing the recordings as “pure click bait” and said there was nothing inappropriate in the justices’ comments.

The Supreme Court Historical Society, which hosted the event where the recordings took place, condemned Windsor’s undercover tactics. Windsor defended her actions, citing the legality of her recordings under Washington’s one-party consent law. She argued that the Supreme Court “has been shrouded in secrecy and refuses any degree of accountability.”

Tags: Catholic, Conservative, John Roberts, Richard Blumenthal, Samuel Alito, Supreme Court, Washington DC

[KARAH RUCKER]

A LIBERAL ACTIVIST WENT UNDERCOVER AT A CHARITY EVENT – POSING AS A CATHOLIC CONSERVATIVE – WHILE SECRETLY RECORDING CONVERSATIONS SHE HAD WITH CONSERVATIVE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES.

THE NEWLY RELEASED AUDIO TAPES ARE ONCE AGAIN FUELING CREDIBILITY CONCERNS OVER THE HIGH COURT.

THE TIMING OF THE LATEST CONTROVERSY COMES AS THE JUSTICES ARE EXPECTED TO RULE ON SEVERAL HIGH PROFILE CASES THIS MONTH.

LAUREN WINDSOR IS KNOWN FOR SECRETLY RECORDING REPUBLICANS WHILE PRETENDING TO BE ONE HERSELF.

JIM JORDAN.

MIKE PENCE.

MATT GAETZ BEING SOME OF HER HIGH-PROFILE REPUBLICAN TARGETS.

THE LATEST TO BE CAUGHT ON WINDSOR’S RECORDER –

JUSTICE SAMUEL ALITO AND CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS.

HERE ARE A FEW PORTIONS OF THE EXCHANGE BETWEEN WINDSOR AND ALITO GARNERING THE MOST ATTENTION.

Windsor:

“As a catholic and as someone who like really cherishes my faith, I just don’t, I don’t know that we can negotiate with the left in the way that needs to happen for the polarization to end. I think it’s a matter of like, winning.”

Alito:

I think you’re probably right. On one side or the other, one side or the other is going to win. I don’t know. I mean there can be a way of working, a way of living together peacefully, but it’s difficult, you know, because there are difference on fundamental issues that can’t be compromised.”

Windsor:

“People in this country who believe in God have got to keep fighting for that, to return our country to a place of godliness.”

Alito:

“Well I agree with you. I agree with you.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

SOME DEMOCRATS QUESTION WHETHER A JUSTICE’S PERSONAL BELIEFS MIGHT LEAD TO BIAS INTO THEIR RULINGS OVER POLITICALLY CHARGED CASES.

JUSTICE ROBERTS –

WAS QUICK TO DEFEND THE COURT’S INTEGRITY IN ANOTHER SECRETLY RECORDED EXCHANGE.

Windsor:

“But you don’t think there’s like, a role for the court in like guiding us toward a more moral path?”

Roberts:

“No, i think the role for the court is deciding the cases. If i start – would you want me to be in charge of guiding us toward a more moral path? That’s for the people we elect. That’s not for lawyers.”

Windsor:

“Well i guess i just, i believe that the founders were godly, like were christians, and i think that we live in a christian nation and that our supreme court should be guiding us in that path.”

Roberts:

I don’t know if thats true. I don’t know that we live in a christian nation.I know a lot of Jewish and Muslim friends who would say, maybe not, and its not our job to do that. Its our job to decide the cases as best we can.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

SENATOR RICHARD BLUMENTHAL HAS BEEN VOCAL IN WANTING A SUPREME COURT ETHICS REFORM.

REACTING TO THE RELEASED AUDIO HE SAYS –

“ALITO IS BECOMING A LOOSE CANNON TURNED ON THE COURT ITSELF. HE MOCKS ETHICS.”

MEANWHILE CONSERVATIVE ADVOCACY GROUPS HAVE CALLED IT

“PURE CLICK BAIT.” SAYING “NOTHING IN THIS AUDIO OF CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS AND JUSTICE ALITO IS REMOTELY INAPPROPRIATE.”

THE SUPREME COURT HISTORICAL SOCIETY WHICH HOSTED THE GALA WHERE THE SECRET RECORDINGS TOOK PLACE CONDEMNED THE UNDERCOVER RUSE.

WHILE WINDSOR HAS SINCE DEFENDED HER ACTIONS.

THE RECORDINGS WERE **LEGAL UNDER WASHINGTON D.C.’S LAW REGARDING ONE PARTY CONSENT TO RECORD.

AND SHE SAYS THE SUPREME COURT HAS BEEN “SHROUDED IN SECRECY AND REFUSES ANY DEGREE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.”