US Supreme Court Justice Alito failed to report trip with billionaire, report says

Conservative judge disputes investigation in Wall Street Journal op-ed

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito accused ProPublica of issuing 'false charges' against him. AP

US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito failed to disclose a luxury fishing trip he took with billionaire Paul Singer and then declined to recuse himself from cases involving the hedge fund founder, the news organisation ProPublica reported.

Mr Alito flew on Mr Singer’s private jet in July 2008 to stay at a fishing lodge in Alaska that charged more than $1,000 a day, ProPublica said, citing planning emails, Alaska fishing licence data and interviews with people including fishing guides, lodge owners and others.

The conservative justice never reported the free travel and accommodation for the trip at the lodge, which was owned by another wealthy Republican donor, ProPublica said.

It added that that the airline flight could have cost $100,000 if Mr Alito chartered a jet on his own.

In the years following that Alaska expedition, Mr Singer’s hedge fund came before the Supreme Court at least 10 times, according to the report.

In an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal published late on Tuesday, Mr Alito accused ProPublica of issuing “false charges” against him.

He said he was not required to disclose the free jet trip he received from Mr Singer to get to Alaska under Supreme Court rules at the time.

The justice added he did not know Mr Singer was a party to some of the cases he was ruling on and never discussed pending litigation with him.

“I had no obligation to recuse in any of the cases that ProPublica cites,” Mr Alito wrote.

“Even if I had been aware of Mr Singer’s connection to the entities involved in those cases, recusal would not have been required or appropriate.”

A representative for Mr Singer said the investor had never discussed his business interests with the justice.

The report adds to rising concerns that Supreme Court justices are not held to the same ethical standards as other employees of the federal government and that current reporting requirements are not sufficient to prevent conflicts of interests.

Chief Justice John Roberts has since said he is committed to ensuring the Supreme Court adheres to the highest standards of conduct.