Republican senators are pushing a bill to increase the punishment for anyone who intimidates Supreme Court justices.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Republican, introduced the legislation with 10 other GOP senators. It would increase the time in prison from one year to five years for anyone convicted of trying to influence judicial decision-making.
“As we saw last summer, the woke liberal mob will go to great lengths to target those they disagree with — even illegally intimidating Supreme Court justices at their private residences,” Ms. Blackburn said. “It’s extremely concerning that none of these protesters have been arrested for breaking the law, and the DOJ has not issued any guidance on enforcing this statute.”
She was joined by Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, both of Texas; Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, both of Mississippi; Tom Cotton and John Bookman, both of Arkansas; Bill Hagerty of Tennessee; Katie Britt of Alabama; Marco Rubio of Florida; and Josh Hawley of Missouri.
The legislation comes a year after an unprecedented leak of a draft opinion from the high court that revealed the justices were poised to overturn 1973’s landmark ruling in Roe v. Wade, which established a national right to abortion.
The leak of the opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization was the first time a full draft opinion had been leaked in the Supreme Court’s 233-year history.
The forewarning of the court’s decision on abortion outraged pro-choice activists, who began protesting outside the homes of conservative justices.
One activist, Nicholas Roske, traveled from California to Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh’s home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with plans to assassinate him, authorities said. Mr. Roske is currently in federal custody awaiting trial.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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