Barrett Warns Threat Level Against Judges Is 'Really High'
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett told lawmakers threats against judges are alarmingly elevated as the court seeks a bigger security budget.
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett issued a stark warning to Congress Wednesday, declaring that the threat level facing federal judges is "really high" as she and fellow Justice Elena Kagan testified before lawmakers regarding the high court's annual budget request — one that calls for increased security spending.
Barrett and Kagan appeared together to make the case for greater financial resources dedicated to protecting members of the judiciary. The rare joint appearance by justices from opposite ends of the ideological spectrum underscored the seriousness with which the court views the danger confronting its members and the broader federal bench.
Read more Trump Expects Iran and Hezbollah Added to Russia Sanctions Bill →
The security push comes amid a years-long surge in threats directed at judges across the country, a trend that intensified following several high-profile rulings that drew intense public backlash. Federal authorities have previously documented a dramatic rise in threats against judicial officials, placing enormous strain on the U.S. Marshals Service, which is responsible for protecting federal judges.
By bringing Barrett and Kagan — a conservative and a liberal — to testify side by side, the Supreme Court sent a clear bipartisan signal to Congress that protecting the judiciary is not a partisan issue but an institutional imperative. The budget request, if approved, would direct more federal dollars toward the physical safety of justices and other federal court personnel at a time when public-facing officials face unprecedented security pressures.
Continue reading at US Top News and Analysis.
