President Donald Trump responded to Democrat Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer’s (D-NY) threat against Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh on Wednesday by saying that “serious” and immediate action needed to be taken against Schumer.
“This is a direct & dangerous threat to the U.S. Supreme Court by Schumer,” Trump tweeted. “If a Republican did this, he or she would be arrested, or impeached. Serious action MUST be taken NOW!”
Trump’s remarks came after Schumer threatened the Supreme Court Justices earlier in the day while speaking at a far-left pro-abortion rally near the Supreme Court.
“Republican legislatures are waging a war on women, all women, and they’re taking away fundamental rights,” Schumer said. “I want to tell you Gorsuch, I want to tell you Kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”
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
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts blasted Schumer over his remarks, saying in statement:
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.
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.”
Schumer’s spokesperson also falsely claimed, “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.”
The notion that Trump’s criticisms of Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg are on the same level as Schumer’s threats against Kavanaugh and Gorsuch is false.
“‘[Supreme Court Justice Sonia] Sotomayor accuses GOP appointed Justices of being biased in favor of Trump.’ @IngrahamAngle,” Trump tweeted late last month. “This is a terrible thing to say. Trying to ‘shame’ some into voting her way? She never criticized Justice Ginsberg when she called me a ‘faker’. Both should recuse themselves on all Trump, or Trump related, matters! While ‘elections have consequences’, I only ask for fairness, especially when it comes to decisions made by the United States Supreme Court!”
….on all Trump, or Trump related, matters! While “elections have consequences”, I only ask for fairness, especially when it comes to decisions made by the United States Supreme Court!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2020
Trump’s tweets were in reference to a recent dissent by Sotomayor “against an order by the court to allow the Trump administration to proceed with a plan to deny green cards to immigrants who are deemed likely to become ‘public charges’ reliant on government aid programs,” The New York Times reported.
This report has been updated to include additional information.