Justice Samuel Alito will not recuse himself from Supreme Court cases involving former President Donald Trump and Jan. 6, 2021, defendants despite calls from Senate Democrats to step aside over flags flying outside his home.

In a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Alito wrote that he had “nothing whatsoever to do” with an upside-down flag over his house in 2021 and an “Appeal to Heaven” flag at his New Jersey beach house last year.

“I was not even aware of the upside-down flag until it was called to my attention,” Alito wrote. “As soon as I saw it, I asked my wife to take it down, but for several days, she refused. My wife and I own our Virginia home jointly. She therefore has the legal right to use the property as she sees fit, and there were no additional steps that I could have taken to have the flag taken down more promptly.”

“I am confident that a reasonable person who is not motivated by political or ideological considerations or a desire to affect the outcome of Supreme Court cases would conclude that the events recounted above do not meet the applicable standard for recusal,” Alito added. “I am therefore required to reject your request.”

This is a breaking story and will be updated.