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Lawmakers push to keep Supreme Court justices safe

Jun 09, 2022

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Police said a California man went to Maryland to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Now, there’s a renewed push to pass a law that would increase protections to keep Supreme Court justices safe.

U.S. Marshalls arrested 26-year-old Nicholas John Roske on Wednesday. He’s charged with attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice. Authorities said the Simi Valley man came to Kavanaugh’s home via taxi just after 1 a.m. Police said he was dressed in black, carried a Glock pistol, a knife, zip ties, pepper spray, duct tape and other things he planned to use in his plot to kill Kavanaugh.

According to court records, Roske said he purchased the gun to kill Kavanaugh and then himself and said he was upset after a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion showed the Court may overturn the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade. Court records also indicate Roske was worried Kavanaugh may vote to ease restrictions on firearms as well.

In the months following the leaked Supreme Court opinion, people have been protesting in front of the homes of Supreme Court justices. The White House is on record as saying it supports the right of people to peacefully protest in front of those homes.

Not everyone in Washington agrees. Soon after the Supreme Court leak, the Senate passed a bill to beef up protections for the high court. A similar bill is slowly making its way through the U.S. House of Representatives.

Wednesday night, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said heated rhetoric from Democrats is encouraging political pressure on conservative justices.

“Congress cannot afford to wait,” McCarthy said. “We have a duty to protect the Court, the justices and their families from political violence and intimidation.”

The House did not pass the bill Wednesday night, but on Thursday reports began to surface the House Democratic leadership may pass the SCOTUS protection bill in the coming days.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

POLICE SAY A CALIFORNIA MAN WENT TO MARYLAND TO KILL SUPREME COURT JUSTICE BRETT KAVANAUGH. NOW, THERE’S A RENEWED PUSH TO PASS A LAW THAT WOULD INCREASE PROTECTIONS FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICES.

U.S. MARSHALLS ARRESTED 26-YEAR-OLD NICHOLAS JOHN ROSKE ON WEDNESDAY. HE CAME TO KAVANAUGH’S HOME IN A TAXI JUST AFTER 1 AM. POLICE SAY HE WAS DRESSED IN BLACK, CARRIED A GLOCK PISTOL, A KNIFE, ZIP TIES, PEPPER SPRAY DUCT TAPE AND OTHER THINGS HE PLANNED TO USE IN HIS PLOT TO KILL KAVANAUGH.

ACCORDING TO COURT RECORDS, ROSKE SAID HE WAS UPSET AFTER A LEAKED SUPREME COURT DRAFT OPINION SHOWED THE COURT MAY OVERTURN THE LANDMARK ABORTION CASE ROE V. WADE.

IN THE MONTHS FOLLOWING THE LEAKED OPINION, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PROTESTING IN FRONT OF THE HOMES OF SUPREME COURT JUSTICES. THE WHITE HOUSE IS ON RECORD AS SAYING IT SUPPORTS THE RIGHT OF PEOPLE TO PEACEFULLY PROTEST IN FRONT OF THE HOMES.

NOT EVERYONE IN WASHINGTON AGREES. SOON AFTER THE SUPREME COURT LEAK, THE SENATE PASSED A BILL TO BEEF UP PROTECTIONS FOR THE HIGH COURT. A SIMILAR BILL IS SLOWLY MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE HOUSE.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT, HOUSE MINORITY LEADER KEVIN MCCARTHY SAID HEATED RHETORIC FROM DEMOCRATS IS ENCOURAGING POLITICAL PRESSURE ON CONSERVATIVE JUSTICES.

KAVANAUGH: “CONGRESS CANNOT AFFORD TO WAIT. WE HAVE A DUTY TO PROTECT THE COURT, THE JUSTICES AND THEIR FAMILIES FROM POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION.”

THE HOUSE DID NOT PASS THE BILL WEDNESDAY NIGHT, BUT ON THURSDAY REPORTS BEGAN TO SURFACE THE HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP MAY PASS THE SCOTUS PROTECTION BILL IN THE COMING DAYS.