Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer is facing mounting backlash after he publicly threatened two conservative Supreme Court Justices on Wednesday.
Some are even calling for Schumer to stand down after Senator Josh Hawley announced plans to introduce a measure to censure the New York senator.
The backlash follows threats made by Sen. Schumer earlier on Wednesday.
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In speech outside the Supreme Court, Schumer warned that conservative Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch will “pay the price” if they vote against pro-choice advocates in a high-profile abortion case.
President Trump responded by demanding “serious action” is taken against the senior Democratic leader.
Dailywire.com reports: Sen. Josh Hawley’s (R-MO) office released the following statement:
Tonight U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced he will introduce a motion to censure U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for inciting violence against U.S. Supreme Court Justices. In a pro-abortion rally in front of the Supreme Court today, Senator Schumer threatened Justices by name saying, “I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, 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.”
“Now @chuckschumer is threatening Supreme Court Justices personally, to the point of implying their physical safety is endangered. Disgusting, shameful, and frankly, WEAK,” Hawley wrote on Twitter. “I would call on Schumer to apologize, but we all know he has no shame. So tomorrow I will introduce a motion to censure Schumer for his pathetic attempt at intimidation of #SupremeCourt.”
Jimmy Williams, a senior adviser to Democrat Tom Steyer’s failed presidential campaign, responded to Schumer’s threat by suggesting that Schumer may need to step down.
“Threatening a sitting Justice regardless of their politics is dangerous,” Williams tweeted. “What Schumer said is gross inappropriate and unacceptable. He should clarify his words immediately or step down from leadership. We must be better than this.”
Leftist law professor Lawrence Tribe also hit Schumer, writing on Twitter, “These remarks by
@SenSchumer were inexcusable. Chief Justice Roberts was right to call him on his comments. I hope the Senator, whom I’ve long admired and consider a friend, apologizes and takes back his implicit threat. It’s beneath him and his office.”
Democrat Jonathan Turley, Constitutional Law Professor at George Washington University, also slammed Schumer for his remarks, saying that he sounded like a “stalker.”
“Schumer’s threat to the Court that ‘you will pay the price’ is a direct attack on the integrity of our courts,” Turley wrote “I criticized Trump for his reckless comments about the courts. Where is the chorus of condemnation of Schumer? Schumer sounded more like a stalker than a statesman.”
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts also ripped Schumer, saying in a statement:
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.’
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.
