On June 8, 2022, a man armed with a knife and a Glock 17 pistol was taken into custody near the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in Maryland. Authorities arrested the perpetrator after he allegedly called 911 and stated that he intended to kill Justice Kavanaugh and himself. The perpetrator reportedly told police that he was displeased with the leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion overruling Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision which declared abortion to be a constitutional right. He also indicated his displeasure with the possibility that Justice Kavanaugh might find gun control laws unconstitutional.
Obviously, this situation is beyond disturbing, especially in light of the fact that Justice Kavanaugh is a married father of two daughters. However, it is also predictable. Last month, following the leak of the Supreme Court’s draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that there had been a “‘significant increase in violent threats,’ including a series of social media posts directed at certain sitting justices as well as the Supreme Court building.” According to CBS News, the DHS issued an intelligence bulletin to other law enforcement agencies addressing the potential for threats to public safety in response to the abortion issue.
U.S. marshals are providing 24-hour security protection at the homes of the nine Supreme Court justices. A bill that would extend that protection to the family members of the justices passed the Senate by unanimous consent in May; at this writing, however, the bill has been held up by House Democrats who wish to include protections for Supreme Court clerks and staff. New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms calls upon the House to vote on this bill immediately.
Friends, in light of this sobering news, please pray for the safety of the justices of the Supreme Court and their families on a daily basis.