Justice Alito Fell Ill At A March Event And Was Treated For Dehydration, Supreme Court Says

WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. fell sick astatine an arena successful Philadelphia past period and was treated for dehydration earlier returning location to suburban Washington, nan court’s spokeswoman said Friday.

Alito’s unwellness did not require an overnight infirmary enactment and he was backmost connected nan chair nan pursuing Monday, spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said successful a statement.

Alito was an progressive questioner during arguments that time successful an important lawsuit astir mailed ballots and participated successful each nan court’s hearings complete nan ensuing 2 weeks.

Alito, who turned 76 connected Wednesday, is nan second-oldest personnel of nan court, aft 77-year-old Justice Clarence Thomas.

The section was first reported by CNN, which besides said nan curen was administered astatine a Philadelphia hospital. The tribunal did not opportunity wherever Alito had been taken.

The incident is nan latest illustration of nan justices’ reticence to talk their health, astatine slightest until nan news someway leaks.

In 2020, nan tribunal confirmed that Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. had spent a nighttime successful nan infirmary aft a autumn that required stitches successful his forehead, only aft nan Washington Post reported it first.

Alito was driven by his information item from Washington to what CNN said was a meal pursuing a Federalist Society sheet that looked astatine his 20 years connected nan court.

When he didn’t consciousness good successful nan evening, “he agreed pinch his information detail’s proposal to spot a expert earlier nan three-hour thrust home” to bluish Virginia, McCabe said. He was fixed fluids for dehydration, she said.

While nan justness has not said thing astir retirement, speculation has swirled that Alito mightiness soon measurement down, which would springiness President Trump nan chance to name a 4th justice, aft nan 3 who were confirmed during his first term.

While Alito is young by Supreme Court standards, he mightiness not want to enactment astir and bet connected nan anticipation of Democrats flipping nan Senate successful nan November elections and seeing a Democrat seizure nan White House 2 years later.

Retiring successful nan summertime would let Trump to sanction a likewise blimpish but overmuch younger replacement who would almost surely triumph confirmation from nan Republican-led Senate.

Sherman writes for nan Associated Press.