Chief Justice Roberts Blasts Schumer's 'Threatening Statements' Against Gorsuch and Kavanaugh
Chief Justice John Roberts of the Supreme Court on Wednesday slammed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York for threatening two members of the court’s conservative wing who were appointed by President Donald Trump.
Schumer singled out Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh during a pro-abortion rally held outside the Supreme Court.
“I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price!” Schumer said. “You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”
WATCH: Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer threatens U.S. Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
“You have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price! You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions!”pic.twitter.com/e1qKzocJDj
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) March 4, 2020
Roberts then issued a rare public rebuke, according to Fox News.
“This morning, Senator Schumer spoke at a rally in front of the Supreme Court while a case was being argued inside. Senator Schumer referred to two Members of the Court by name and said he wanted to tell them that ‘You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You will not know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions,'” the statement said.
“Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous. All Members of the Court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter,” Roberts said.
Deputy Attorney General George Terwilliger also lambasted Schumer, according to CNN.
“Any statements that can be understood to threaten judges personally are completely out of line. Equally offensive are statements that can appear to be designed to intimidate judges in deciding questions of the law,” Terwilliger said. “We have to be better than that in a civil society.”
Many on Twitter also said Schumer had gone too far with his threats.
Sen. Schumer’s statements today re: two #SCOTUS justices are outrageous, uncalled for and out of bounds. Chief Justice Roberts is right, we cannot tolerate political violence or threats of harassment. We should be looking to elevate our debates, not lower them. pic.twitter.com/48zZfSR7mZ
— Sen. John Barrasso (@SenJohnBarrasso) March 4, 2020
I agree with Chief Justice Roberts.
These statements by Senator Schumer are outrageous. https://t.co/kG8zCJGYCU
— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) March 4, 2020
What price will they pay?
Money?
Physical abuse?
Threats on their lives?
More smear campaigns?
If anything happens to Justices Gorsuch or Kavanaugh, we should assume it’s @SenSChumer‘s mafia at work:
“Who will rid me of these meddlesome justices?” https://t.co/tEp7odJzxZ— Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) March 4, 2020
Rather than accept the scolding. Schumer fought back.
“Women’s health care rights are at stake and Americans from every corner of the country are in anguish about what the court might do to them,” Schumer spokesman Justin Goodman said in a statement to Fox. “Sen. Schumer’s comments were a reference to the political price Senate Republicans will pay for putting these justices on the court, and a warning that the justices will unleash a major grassroots movement on the issue of reproductive rights against the decision.”
During the rally, Schumer said that Trump and Senate Republicans will also pay a price for opposing abortion.
“We will tell President Trump and Senate Republicans who have stacked the court with right-wing ideologues that you’re gonna be gone in November, and you will never be able to do what you’re trying to do now ever, ever again!” he said.
Schumer said Republican state legislatures are “waging a war on women” and that abortion is “under attack in a way we haven’t seen in modern history.”
The New York senator’s remarks came as the court heard arguments on a Louisiana law that sought to restrict who can perform abortions.
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