Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, along with other Senate Republicans, blasted “unhinged” rhetoric from Democratic leaders for the attempted attack on Associate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on Wednesday.
Authorities arrested a man armed with at least one weapon and several burglary tools after telling officers he intended to kill Kavanaugh, The Washington Post first reported. McConnell said the unprecedented leak of the Supreme Court draft in May fueled the incident to occur.
“This is where we are,” McConnell said. “If these reports are correct, [there was] an assassination attempt against a sitting Justice, or something close to it. This is exactly the kind of event that many feared that the terrible breach of the Court’s rules and norms could fuel. This is exactly the kind of event that many worried the unhinged, reckless, apocalyptic rhetoric from prominent figures toward the Court, going back many months, and especially in recent weeks, could make more likely.”
This morning’s disturbing reports are exactly why the Senate unanimously passed a Supreme Court security bill weeks ago. But House Democrats have inexplicably blocked it. House Democrats need to stop their blockade and pass this uncontroversial bill today. pic.twitter.com/wd8UB5RDvm
— Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) June 8, 2022
McConnell urged the House of Representatives to pass legislation to extend around-the-clock security protection to the justices and their families. The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Democratic Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, unanimously passed the Senate on May 9. (RELATED: Liberals Melt Down Over Bipartisan SCOTUS Security Protection Bill)
“This is common sense, non-controversial legislation,” he said. “It passed in this chamber unanimously. But House Democrats have spent weeks blocking the measure that passed here unanimously related to security for Supreme Court justices. The House’s Democrats have refused to take it up. Now, look, Mr. President, that needs to change and it needs to change right now. House Democrats must pass this bill and they need to do it today. No more fiddling around with this, they need to pass it today. They need to stop their multi-week blockade against the Supreme Court security bill and pass it before the sun sets today.”
Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz called on Democrats to “stop their irresponsible and incendiary rhetoric” and added that President Joe Biden’s administration “encouraged” protests outside of the justices’ homes after the leak.
“The Biden admin encouraged protests outside of [the] justices’ homes. Schumer threatened: ‘You have released the whirlwind & you will pay the price!’ Now a would-be assassin went to the home of a Supreme Court justice,” Cruz said. “Biden and the Dems need to stop their irresponsible and incendiary rhetoric on Roe and condemn the violence coming from their supporters.”
Biden and the Dems need to stop their irresponsible and incendiary rhetoric on Roe and condemn the violence coming from their supporters. 2/x
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 8, 2022
Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio also called out House Democrats for stalling the bill to extend security. He also criticized the Justice Department for not combating threats against the Supreme Court.
“Last month I asked @TheJusticeDept to take threats against Supreme Court justices seriously,” Rubio said. “Last night a California man with at least one weapon & burglary tools went to Brett Kavanaugh’s home to try and kill him.”
And Pelosi still refuses to pass the bipartisan bill increasing security for Supreme Court justices https://t.co/mizFpv9n0s
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) June 8, 2022
Cornyn, the co-sponsor of the bill, urged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to pass the legislation.
“Every day they don’t the threat to the Justices grows, the potential for tragedy becomes more likely & House Democrats achieve a new apex of political dysfunction,” he said.
Speaker Pelosi, I implore you: please pass my SCOTUS Security bill.
Every day they don’t the threat to the Justices grows, the potential for tragedy becomes more likely & House Democrats achieve a new apex of political dysfunction.
https://t.co/BdEV0li9HY https://t.co/7Wuh0DEMh1— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) June 8, 2022
Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley called out Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for previously stating Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh “will pay the price.”
“I wonder if @chuckschumer is still proud of personally threatening Supreme Court Justices now that people with guns are showing up at their houses to kill them,” Hawley said.