Is Samuel Alito Preparing to Disrobe? - Elie Mystal

[In It to Win It]

https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/newsletter-samuel-alito-retiring/

Archived
https://archive.ph/V4KDf

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has a new book coming out. It’s titled How Watching Fox News Made Me the Worst Version of Myself.

Just kidding, I don’t actually care what it’s called. (Fine. I can Google it for you. It’s called So Ordered: An Originalist’s View of the Constitution, the Court, and the Country.) It’s my job to read such things and… I won’t read his book. They can’t make me. Life is entirely too short.

I bring it up because the book is scheduled to be released October 6, 2026. That’s a curious date. The Supreme Court starts its 2026–27 term on October 5, the first Monday of October. Alito’s book is set to drop the next day.

It sure feels like Alito doesn’t plan on having a real job the Tuesday his book launches and instead thinks he’ll be free to run around the country promoting it. By way of context, here are publication dates for the the last four sitting Supreme Court justices who released books:

Amy Coney Barrett, September 9, 2025
Neil Gorsuch, May 5, 2025
Ketanji Brown Jackson, September 4, 2024
Sonia Sotomayor, January 25, 2022 (a children’s book)
Sonia Sotomayor, September 3, 2019

It makes sense for the justices to release their books in September. You have all the attention on the upcoming term, but the justices are free to fly around the country, giving talks and doing interviews to promote their books. May also makes sense, because the court is no longer hearing cases then, just writing and editing opinions.

The justices are busy in October. Arguably too busy to sell a book.

Even if this isn’t true, in the unlikely scenario Dems retake the Senate in November you better believe he’s quitting and a replacement is being rammed through in a matter of weeks.

— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@reichlinmelnick.bsky.social) 2026-02-06T18:43:42.359Z

[enigmania]

1. That guy makes me sick.

[Greybnk48]

2. And we should block any Republican nominee until after the NEXT presidential election.

Then expand the Supreme Court if we win the White House.

[drray23]

10. Difficult to do. This only requires 51 votes.

Nominations are not subject to the 60 vote threshold. However, if we do win the senate its a different story

[Vinca]

3. I can't imagine what kind of horror Trump might nominate. Can they be blocked until 2028?

[QueerDuck]

4. Use McConnell's "lame duck" rule... but we'd need to be the majority party.

[TommyT139]

7. John Yoo

...is my bet.

[In It to Win It]

9. I think even John Yoo is not right-wing enough for them... and honestly, maybe too old.

[madinmaryland]

14. I can imagine it would be one of his parking garage lawyers or Pam Bondi.

[leftstreet]

5. Almost didn't click this. "Alito" and "disrobe"

Phew. Fortunately no photos or anything


Great article, thanks for posting
DURec

[usonian]

6. Grok can disrobe him any day of the week.

But YUCK!

[llmart]

8. May his book release go the way of the Melania movie.

[Blue Owl]

11. Fuck that piece of shit

[NNadir]

12. So what? He'll simply be replaced with another political racist hack...

..."interpreting" the Constitution as a Nazi manifesto.

[ChicagoTeamster]

13. Maybe it's an October Surprise.

[dobleremolque]

15. Someone needs to learn the difference between

"disrobe" and "de-robe."

[Mustellus]

16. But the "Originalists" provided for ....

... amendments to the Constitution. Perhaps they had a dose of humility that the current "Originalists" do not have.

[tishaLA]

17. Oh hey, Susan Collins...

remember that election you have in a couple months?

[hlthe2b]

18. Oh, Elie.. What a visual... But I'd gladly see him "depart" (voluntarily) anyway possible

[TrollBuster9090]

19. Do They Have A 'Tall' Size Robe, Big Enough To Fit Barron "Damien" Trump?

Or an extra absorbent robe to fit Kyle Rittenhouse?

They've got to find the youngest possible MAGA Judge, fast. (Or, the interest group that could pay the biggest bribe).

There are a million reasons why it would have been better to have President Harris than President Trump. But one of them would have been the pleasure of denying Alito his early retirement, and wingnut welfare payments.

[poli-junkie]

20. He'll install Loose Cannon 🤬