Pressure mounts over Democrat Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s comments
Democrat Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is facing mounting scrutiny over threatening remarks he made earlier this week toward conservative Supreme Court justices.
On Thursday, former U.S. Attorney Guy Lewis told Fox News that Sen. Schumer’s threats toward Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch on Wednesday could “very well be criminal.”
“I’ve got to tell you, and Schumer is kind of backtracking, we’ve heard today, I think it’s a day late and a dollar short,” Lewis said.
“Listen, as a young prosecutor down here in Miami, I actually prosecuted, put somebody in jail for about three years, if I recall correctly, under a similar circumstance where they had threatened a federal judge that had a case pending before her.”
“Listen, I don’t think this is bad judgment,” Lewis continued.
“This may very well be criminal.”
Lewis’s comments come in response to Schumer attending a far-left pro-abortion rally on Wednesday.
During the rally, Schumer yelled: “Inside the walls of this court, the Supreme Court is hearing arguments, as you know, for the first major abortion rights cases since Justice Kavanaugh and Justice Gorsuch came to the bench.
“We know what’s at stake. Over the last three years, women’s reproductive rights have come under attack in a way we haven’t seen in modern history.”
Today’s Left:
First Schumer tells President-elect Trump: “You take on the intelligence community, they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you.”
Today he threatens 2 Supreme Court justices: “You will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you.”pic.twitter.com/jGQ8m5qcjB
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) March 4, 2020
According to The Daily Wire, shortly after he made his remarks, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts responded by condemning the comments:
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.
President Donald Trump strongly condemned Schumer, tweeting, “This is a direct & dangerous threat to the U.S. Supreme Court by Schumer.
“If a Republican did this, he or she would be arrested, or impeached. Serious action MUST be taken NOW!”
This is a direct & dangerous threat to the U.S. Supreme Court by Schumer. If a Republican did this, he or she would be arrested, or impeached. Serious action MUST be taken NOW! https://t.co/WqQUbyzaJU
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2020
Trump later added, “There can be few things worse in a civilized, law abiding nation, than a United States Senator openly, and for all to see and hear, threatening the Supreme Court or its Justices.
“This is what Chuck Schumer just did. He must pay a severe price for this!”
There can be few things worse in a civilized, law abiding nation, than a United States Senator openly, and for all to see and hear, threatening the Supreme Court or its Justices. This is what Chuck Schumer just did. He must pay a severe price for this!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2020
A spokesperson for Schumer responded to Roberts’ criticism by attacking Roberts’ character, saying, “For Justice Roberts to follow the right wing’s deliberate misinterpretation of what Sen. Schumer said, while remaining silent when President Trump attacked Justices Sotomayor and Ginsberg last week, shows that Justice Roberts does not just call balls and strikes.”
More fall out from Chuck Schumer’s threat of violence against two SCOTUS justices — by name. Even the American Bar Association is speaking out against Schumer. Will we ever get an actual apology or just more excuses? pic.twitter.com/iorcAVyAZE
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) March 6, 2020
Schumer’s spokesperson also claimed without evidence, “It was a reference to the political price Rs will pay for putting them on the court and a warning that the justices will unleash major grassroots movement on the issue of reproductive rights against the decision.”