Justice Alito Defends Refusal to Recuse, Rejects Senate Democrats' Calls

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin criticized Justice Samuel Alito for not recusing himself from a case involving an attorney with whom he had previously sat down for interviews, stating that the Supreme Court is in a crisis of its own making as justices continue to damage its reputation. Durbin called on the Court to regain public trust, while Alito defended his decision, stating that the theory behind Durbin's request for recusal misunderstands the circumstances under which Supreme Court Justices work.