Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has earned up to $2.9 million from his fossil fuel investments between 2005 and 2024, according to a new review of his financial disclosures by the non-profit advocacy group and judicial watchdog Court Accountability. The analysis, shared exclusively with the Guardian, found that even at the lowest estimates, Alito gained nearly $400,000 from oil and gas interests since his appointment to the high court by President George W. Bush in 2005.

These findings emerge as the Supreme Court prepares to hear oral arguments on October 5, 2026, in a case brought by oil companies Suncor Energy and Exxon. The companies seek a ruling that federal law bars subnational governments from suing fossil fuel producers over climate change impacts. The Trump administration, siding with the oil companies, has requested 10 minutes of argument time.

Court Accountability and other groups have called for a Senate committee investigation into Alito, the only Supreme Court justice with holdings in energy companies, and have urged that he recuse himself from the case. Lisa Graves, co-founder of Court Accountability and author of the analysis, said Alito’s financial ties to oil and gas raise questions about his ability to impartially adjudicate cases affecting the fossil fuel sector.

The review also suggests Alito may have undervalued a property linked to his oil and gas interests. In 2017, a relative sold an adjacent plot for $800,000, yet Alito continued to report his property’s value between $100,000 and $250,000. Additionally, Alito’s wife agreed in 2022 to lease a plot of land to the private oil and gas company Citizen Energy, as first reported by the Intercept.

The controversy highlights concerns over potential conflicts of interest as the Supreme Court addresses significant climate accountability litigation.

Sources