‘We remain concerned about the security and safety of all judicial branch officers,’ lawmakers say.
House Republicans on Tuesday raised concerns about the security and safety of U.S. Supreme Court justices and lower court officials in the wake of the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, announcing they have launched an investigation into the matter.
In a letter, House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland asking for a staff-level briefing on measures being taken to enhance security around the nine justices.
“In light of the heightened rhetoric and the recent assassination attempt on President Trump, we remain concerned about the security and safety of all judicial branch officers—including and especially the safety of Supreme Court justices,” the letter stated.
The lawmakers are now demanding a briefing from the Department of Justice (DOJ), which oversees the U.S. Marshals division that provides security to the Supreme Court justices. The briefing, they say, should “occur as soon as possible, but no later than August 6, 2024.”
The justices are not protected by the U.S. Secret Service, an agency under the Department of Homeland Security that is tasked with protecting current and former presidents, as well as vice presidents and members of their families.
Neither the DOJ nor the Supreme Court responded to requests for comment or have released public statements after the letter was sent.
The letter made mention of the June 2022 incident in which a man showed up at the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh with weapons and allegedly sought to kill him over a leaked draft opinion that was set to be published by the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
Prosecutors said that Nicholas Roske went to Justice Kavanaugh’s home with a pistol, ammunition, a knife, and other gear and sought to kill him. Mr. Roske has pleaded not guilty.
A Homeland Security Department report in 2022 said leak of the draft opinion in May unleashed a wave of threats against officials and others and increased the likelihood of violence. The leaked opinion also sparked left-wing protests outside the homes of Justice Kavanaugh and other justices.
