Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) vowed to introduce a motion to censure Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer after the New York Democrat threatened two United States Supreme Court Justices during a Planned Parenthood rally outside of the Supreme Court.
“I want to tell you Justice Kavanaugh and Justice Gorsuch: You have unleashed a whirlwind, and you will pay the price,” Schumer bellowed Wednesday morning, after accusing the two of “taking away fundamental rights.” He went on to warn the justices: “You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”
Hawley tweeted Wednesday night that Schumer’s threat was “disgusting, shameful, and frankly, WEAK.”
“I would call on Schumer to apologize, but we all know he has no shame,” Hawley wrote in a subsequent tweet. “So tomorrow I will introduce a motion to censure Schumer for his pathetic attempt at intimidation of #SupremeCourt.”
I would call on Schumer to apologize, but we all know he has no shame. So tomorrow I will introduce a motion to censure Schumer for his pathetic attempt at intimidation of #SupremeCourt
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) March 5, 2020
Pro-life and pro-abortion groups demonstrated outside the Supreme Court earlier Wednesday as the justices heard oral arguments over the future of a 2014 state law in Louisiana that requires abortion doctors to have admitting privileges to local hospitals.
Multiple Republican lawmakers, including Reps Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), took to twitter throughout the afternoon to condemn Schumer’s threatening comments.
Chief Justice John Roberts publicly rebuked the senator in a highly unusual written statement late Wednesday afternoon, saying “statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only appropriate, they are dangerous.”
“This morning, Senator Schumer spoke at a rally in front of the Supreme Court while a case was being argued inside,” Roberts said in an extraordinary written statement. “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.’”
Roberts continued: “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.”
Schumer’s spokesman Justin Goodman put out a non-apologetic statement late Wednesday excusing the senator’s comments and blasting Roberts for allegedly following “the right wing’s deliberate misinterpretation” of what he said.
“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,” Goodman wrote.
“For Justice Roberts to follow the right wing’s deliberate misinterpretation of what Sen Schumer said, while remaining silent when Pres Trump attacked Justices Sotomayor & Ginsberg last week, shows Justice Roberts does not just call balls and strikes,” he added.
Of course, it’s hard to see how Schumer’s comments were deliberately “misinterpreted” when he specifically addressed Kavanaugh and Gorsuch by name (not “Senate Republicans”), saying: “You have unleashed a whirlwind, and you will pay the price.”
President Trump weighed in on the matter on Twitter Wednesday evening, calling Schumer’s threat a “direct and dangerous threat to the Supreme Court.”
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
Later, the president tweeted that Schumer “must pay a severe price” for threatening the Supreme Court justices.
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
On Fox News’ Hannity, Wednesday evening, Trump called Schumer’s remarks a “disgrace” to the Supreme Court and the U.S. Senate.”