On the same day a man was arrested for attempting to murder Justice Brett Kavanaugh, House Democrats stalled a bill that would have provided additional security for Supreme Court Justices.
Making a unanimous consent request on the House floor, Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) tried to bring up S. 4160 for a vote, which passed the Senate unanimously. The bill would have allocated additional security for the justices’ family members. However, Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats deliberately failed to comply with McCarthy’s proposal to bring the bill to a vote.
As such, McCarthy condemned the House Democrats for their refusal to vote on the bill, noting their refusal came on the same day that a man was arrested for plotting to kill Justice Kavanaugh. Literally, law enforcement arrested this man near Kavanaugh’s Maryland home, in the early morning hours on Wednesday. In the day they charged him with attempted murder.
Bringing Biden’s position to the forefront, McCarthy reminded legislators of the fact that President Joe Biden’s White House encouraged protests on the front steps of justices’ homes, adding-
“Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, ‘I know that there’s an outrage right now, I guess, about protests that have been peaceful to date. And we certainly do continue to encourage that…Outside judges homes. And that’s the President’s position,’” adding “We have a duty to protect the court, the justices and their families from political violence and intimidation. And we can meet that duty tonight before the House adjourns by sending this bill to the President’s desk,”
- House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
He reminded legislators of Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) previous threatening comments that included: (that conservative justices) “will pay the price” and “I want to tell you justice Kavanaugh and justice Gorsuch, you have unleashed a whirlwind and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hits you, if you go forward with these awful decisions.”
-referring to the justices issuing an abortion opinion he did not like. McCarthy challenged Schumer about using words that came across like threats, making the case that Congress should not waste any more time, but rather legislators should make increasing the security for these justices a priority.
The conservative Justices’ homes have been the target of radical protests and demonstrations, since radical pro-abortion protesters, were outraged with the Supreme Court’s leaked opinion, that would overturn the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade. Those whose homes have been subject to ongoing demonstrations include: Justices Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Kavanaugh, and Chief Justice Roberts.
McCarthy is not the only Republican to call out the House Democrats for blocking the bill from getting to a vote. Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly also was very to the point with Pelosi and her colleagues
“This is where we are…if these reports are correct, an assassination attempt against a sitting justice, or something close to it. This is exactly the kind of event that many worried the unhinged, reckless apocalyptic from prominent figures toward the court, going back many months, and especially in recent weeks, could make more likely.” And House Democrats have spent weeks blocking the measure that passed here unanimously related to security for Supreme Court justices. That needs to change, and it needs to change right now… No more fiddling around with this… They need to stop their multi-week blockade against the Supreme Court security bill and pass it before the sun sets today.”
- Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) added reality to the sense of urgency by saying this-
“The arrest of this individual proves these threats to the Justices’ lives are horrifyingly real, and it’s unconscionable for House Democrats to leave their families without police protection for even one more day”.
Holding out on the bill to include additional protections for Supreme Court employees, House Democratic Leader, Steny Hoyer (D-MD), told reporters on Wednesday, regarding the bill’s passage, “I hope we’re close.” How shockingly slow!
American’s should be outraged with the Democratic party, prohibiting a needed safety bill for the Supreme Court Justices. It would seem they would prefer these servants of the people be harassed, jeered, mocked, their possession vandalized or stolen, and their families essentially frightened (including their children) by demonstrators. Perhaps they want to hopefully see if any of these justices will be harmed, needing a replacement – who could or would vote their way. Democrats are acting truly shamefully!