RealClear Politics White House reporter Philip Wegmann questioned White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the administration’s actions regarding protesters picketing outside of justices’ homes.
Wegmann asked the press secretary if the administration is preparing to ease possible tensions for when the Court officially rules on the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which poses a direct challenge to the 1973 landmark decision Roe v. Wade.
The press secretary said President Joe Biden supports legislation to increase security for the justices and will continue to condemn the attempted assassination on Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh by 26-year-old Nicholas Roske, who appeared on Kavanaugh’s street Wednesday with at least one firearm and burglary tools.
“The Department of Justice, as it relates to Kavanaugh, has U.S. Marshals providing support to the Supreme Court Marshal. And the president supports legislation to fund increased security for court and judges. It has now been reported that the marshals our administration assigned to protect judges were instrumental,” Jean-Pierre said. “We have taken this very seriously, like you said, we have condemned it, the president has, and we will continue to do so. Any intimidation or threats against judges is something that we take very seriously.”
Wegmann then asked if the president believes pro-abortion protesters should form any type of demonstration outside of the justices’ homes as they deliberate on a case regarding the issue. (RELATED: Reporter Presses Psaki On Law Appearing To Prohibit Protests Outside Of SCOTUS Justices’ Homes)
“We have not weighed in on where people should or should not protest,” the press secretary replied. “We have said that all Americans have the right to peacefully protest whatever their point of view, but that attempts at intimidation and violence are totally unacceptable and that they need to be condemned at any time they happen regardless of who does it.”
Violence and vandalism by pro-abortion protesters has erupted throughout the country since the leaked draft majority opinion indicating the Court is set to overturn Roe v. Wade in May. Police are currently investigating a “suspicious” fire that broke out Friday at a pro-life pregnancy resource center in Gresham, Oregon, that is believed to have been started by an explosive device.
An activist vandalized a pregnancy center in Lynwood, Washington, by breaking the building’s windows and spray-painting the words “If Abortion Isn’t Safe, You Aren’t Either” and “Jane’s Revenge,” in late May. The Capitol Hill Crisis Pregnancy Center in Washington, D.C., was also vandalized with red paint with the words, “Jane Says Revenge.”
Shortly after the draft opinion leak, the left-wing organization “Ruth Sent Us” reportedly published the addresses of the six conservative justices to form protests outside their homes. As the protests took place, former White House press secretary Jen Psaki said activists should continue to peacefully protest outside of the justices’ homes at a May 10 briefing.
“So I know that there’s an outrage right now, I guess, about protests that have been peaceful to date, and we certainly continue to encourage that outside of judges’ homes and that’s the president’s position,” the former press secretary said.
A federal statute, 18 U.S.C. § 1507, prohibits private citizens from attempting to influence a court decision by organizing “pickets or parades in or near a building housing a court of the United States, or in or near a building or residence occupied or used by such judge, juror, witness, or court officer.”
