Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett told lawmakers Tuesday that a sharp increase in threats targeting her and other justices is increasingly encroaching on their personal and family lives.
During a rare appearance by justices before Congress, Barrett said she had to take a bulletproof vest home a few years ago, something she struggled to explain to her 12-year-old son.
“I didn’t expect that performing this service would put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was, why I had to wear one,” she said.
She and Justice Elena Kagan testified before appropriations panels in the House and Senate in support of a request to increase security funding for members of the nation’s highest court.
Judges around the country have seen a rise in threats of violence and intimidation, including fake 911 swatting calls and pizza deliveries in the name of a judge’s murdered son.
Kagan condemned political rhetoric that turns up the temperature.
“Whatever political figure says them, whatever party that political figure is a member of, these statements are really unhelpful,” she said. “They’re dangerous in terms of individual justices’ security.”
The hearings came two weeks after the conservative-majority court finished handing down a series of major opinions, including a decision that increased President Donald Trump’s power over federal regulatory agencies and another that rejected his wide-ranging tariffs, sparking harsh personal criticism.
It was the first time justices have testified before Congress since 2019, and the two justices are faced wide-ranging questions about the court’s work.
Maybe if 2/3rds of them weren’t busy being actively evil they wouldn’t have to worry…
Barrett in particular is probably targeted because she’s occasionally not evil and some people see that as a betrayal.
Which do you hate more the constant buzzing noise your car makes or the occasional annoying noise it makes at random? Barrett is that occasional annoying noise.
I was gonna say the liberals must be in more danger
I’m sorry, are they scared there might be accountability?
Have you tried not dismantling the constitution, repealing human rights, denying people’s existence, bringing back Jim Crow, and protecting criminals?
Try doing your job and maybe corruption won’t catch up to you.
If they read the Declaration they should know that it is the duty of the people to alter or abolish a tyrannical government. Don’t fucking cry when people want to hold your tyranny to account.
If they actually enforced the Constitution and defended the laws as they swore to, they wouldn’t need security. Traitors to the people should fear the people.
It’s more likely that the death threats are coming from those who think the Supremes aren’t tearing down democracy and the rule of law fast enough.
Or that the “death threats” are as imaginary as antifa terrorists.
a sharp increase in threats targeting her and other justices is increasingly encroaching on their personal and family lives.
Well, a sharp increase in SC decisions targeting my family and community is increasingly encroaching on our lives as well, maybe we could get some protection from them.
Have they tried not actively undermining democracy so that people aren’t dreaming of guillotines? Have they studied history like at all?
There’s a clear solution here, and it’s as simple as caring about the people they’re meant to serve.
If you don’t give us the ballot, expect the bayonet.
Sounds like they’re already expecting the bayonet, so the ballot must be already fixed.
Stop killing the country, and stop your life time appointment coworkers from slaughtering all of our rights.
It’s like they want to play the victim while allowing immigrants to be hunted by ICE goons.
All the justices live in a different world than us.
They have a lifetime guaranteed job.
Incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to get fired.
All expenses paid.
All healthcare paid.
Bribes and non cash payments (boats, etc).
No matter what they’re all millionaires.Fuck em
“I didn’t expect that performing this service would put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was, why I had to wear one,” she said.
You didn’t expect you would have to explain the Second Amendment to your children?
Aim for the head, got it
It’s extremely ironic that she has to wear a bulletproof vest, especially so since the Supreme Court is saying civillians should be able to own guns.
Like if you didn’t want to wear one, maybe don’t give people tools, which can be used to threaten any public official.
“Our fascist tyranny is making us targets!” - the SCOTUS
Imagine the lack of social awareness you have to complain about affording protections that a lot of dead children never had because of gun violence; except yours is perceived, while theirs was (and is) very real.
~I could not be more ashamed.~
~But I’m sure the universe is waiting in the wings to prove me wrong.~
Their salaries and all of their kickbacks are several multiple times the minimum wage.
If they feel like their safety is at risk, stop doing things that can jeopardize their safety, and pay for their own security.
You must respect your social betters.
Living in fear for your life is for peasants, not nobles.
HMMMMmm now maybe, Juuust maybe, people are mad because you’re a piece of shit cancer that is dragging the rest of us down with your corrupt behavior so we would prefer to remove you?
I agree that no one should fear for their life because of their job, but maaaaybe if you did your job to serve the people instead of the oligarchs you wouldn’t need to be protected from it.
Yeah, see, they’re not in fear because of their job; they’re in fear because of how badly they’re fucking it up. This fear is deserved.
If your decisions didn’t try to rewrite the constitution and existing laws you wouldn’t need the extra security.
Heck if you’d actually justify your decisions you wouldn’t need security
I can’t help but feel that the sort of person who would be likely to try and harm a member of the Supreme Court is busy at home, furiously masturbating over the Court’s recent decisions.
“Racial profiling, so hot… Oh God, oh God is that the Shadow Docket? Yes, yes!”