Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer dodged a question Wednesday about whether he regrets threatening U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh with the overthrow of Roe v. Wade.
CNN chief congressional correspondent Manu Raju said he had asked Schumer, a pro-abortion Democrat, about his 2020 comments after Kavanaugh was the target of an assassination attempt earlier this month. Police said the alleged killer traveled across the country and bought a gun to kill the judge after a leaked Supreme Court ruling that spread Kavanaugh agreed to overthrow Roe.
“Asked Schumer if he regretted his comments in 2020 that Justices will ‘pay the price,’ which have received renewed attention,” Raju wrote on Twitter.
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Asked Schumer if he regretted his 2020 comments that Justices “will pay the price”, which have received renewed attention, he said: “First of all, I am against violence in any way. I am for peaceful protests, but I am against violence Number two, we in…
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 22, 2022
Schumer replied: “First of all, I am against violence. I am for peaceful protests, but I am against violence. Second, we very quickly passed legislation in the Senate to deal with the Supreme Court, and I am very happy that the perpetrator was caught,” CNN said. The legislation increased safety for the judges and their families.
However, CNN pointed out that Schumer didn’t answer the question directly.
… the Senate passed legislation very quickly to deal with the Supreme Court, and I am very happy that the perpetrator was caught.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 22, 2022
In 2020, Schumer, who represents New York City, is threatening Kavanaugh and another conservative judge, Neil Gorsuch, if they dare overthrow Roe and allow states to once again protect unborn babies from abortion.
“I want to tell you, Gorsuch, I want to tell you, Kavanaugh, you have unleashed the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go through with these terrible decisions,” Schumer said at a pro-abortion rally on March 4, 2020.
The comment sparked a rare rebuke from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. In a statement at the time, Roberts described Schumer’s remarks as “dangerous” and “threatening.”
“Judges know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are also dangerous,” Roberts said.
Schumer later apologized, but his noticeable silence about the recent assassination attempt on Kavanaugh’s life has left many with questions and concerns.
After news of the incident broke on June 8, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, shared a video of Schumer’s comments on Twitter, writing, “Cause and effect.”
U.S. Representative Vicky Hartzler, a pro-life Republican from Missouri, also summoned the Democrat leader and wrote: “Senator Schumer told Judge Kavanaugh that he will ‘pay the price’ for decisions Democrats don’t like. And he runs the Senate? Reprehensible.”
Legal experts warned that pro-abortion radicals could misinterpret Schumer’s comments. According to Newsweek:
On [June 8], Jonathan Turley, the Shapiro Chair of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, warned that Schumer’s words could be misinterpreted by people like the man allegedly armed with a gun, knife, and pepper spray.
“While unintentionally, some may misunderstand words such as those used by Senate Leader Chuck Schumer on the steps of the Supreme Court who specifically referred to Judge Kavanaugh.….” Turley tweeted.
Threats and violence against the court and pro-life advocates have increased since the leak in early May, and authorities expect more violence in the coming days. Five pro-life offices have been targeted by arson, and dozens of other pro-life organizations and churches have been vandalized.
State and federal Republican leaders have urged the Biden administration to stop ignoring rising violence and persecute pro-abortion radicals as domestic terrorists.
While a Biden spokesperson condemned the assassination attempt and other violence, the Biden administration has also refused to condemn the judges’ doxxing or the illegal protests outside their homes.
The FBI announced an investigation into pro-abortion violence last week.
The Supreme Court is expected to issue its final ruling in the Dobbs case later this month.