The White House strongly condemned the actions of a man arrested near Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s home late Wednesday night, expressing gratitude to the authorities who apprehended the man.
“President Biden condemns the actions of this individual in the strongest terms, and is grateful to law enforcement for quickly taking him into custody,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates told The Daily Wire on Wednesday morning.
“As the President has consistently made clear, public officials—including judges—must be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety or that of their families,” he added. “And any violence, threats of violence, or attempts to intimidate justices have no place in our society. He has said that himself, and his spokespeople have been forceful about this from the podium.”
Though President Joe Biden’s administration has condemned any kind of violence related to protesting over news that Roe v. Wade might soon be overturned, the White House has not specifically condemned protesting at the Supreme Court justices’ homes.
FLASHBACK: Jen Psaki refused to condemn pro-abortion activists posting a map with the HOME ADDRESSES of Supreme Court justices pic.twitter.com/MKoDJLr8CW
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 8, 2022
And on Wednesday, Bates did not say that the Biden administration condemns protesting at the justices homes, noting that the former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has emphasized that Americans may protest peacefully.
Bates noted that Attorney General Merrick Garland has condemned threats to the justices, saying, “The rise of violence and unlawful threats of violence directed at those who serve the public is unacceptable and dangerous to our democracy.”
Biden supports legislation that would fund increased security for the court and the judges, Bates said on Wednesday, noting that “the Department of Justice has U.S. Marshals providing support to the Supreme Court Marshal.”
He also flagged the Department of Homeland Security’s promise that it is “working with [their] partners across every level of government and the private sector to share timely information and intelligence, prevent all forms of violence, and to support law enforcement efforts to keep our communities safe.”
Supreme Court Public Information Officer Patricia McCabe confirmed to The Daily Wire on Wednesday morning that “at approximately 1:50 a.m. today, a man was arrested near Justice Kavanaugh’s residence.”
“The man was armed and made threats against Justice Kavanaugh,” she said. “He was transported to Montgomery County Police 2nd District.”
The Montgomery County Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Daily Wire.
Anonymous sources familiar with the investigation told The Washington Post that the man is in his mid-20s and was carrying at least one weapon as well as burglary tools.
Someone had tipped off police that the man could potentially pose a threat to Kavanaugh, the sources told the publication, and the man was stopped on a street near Kavanaugh’s Montgomery County residence. He did not enter Kavanaugh’s property, the report said.
The Washington Post reported that initial evidence suggests the man was angry over recent mass shootings and reacted to a leaked draft opinion indicating that the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade.
News of the man arrested at Kavanaugh’s home comes amid ongoing attacks on pro-life centers and clinics across the country, including in the nation’s capital, where a pro-life center was vandalized with red paint, eggs, and graffiti.
Here at Capitol Hill Crisis Pregnancy Center in DC where someone dumped red paint on the door, egged the windows, and wrote “Jane Says Revenge.” The director of the pro-life clinic told me the vandalism makes her incredibly “sad” in light of the work they do every day. pic.twitter.com/Qo1lu60eNn
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) June 3, 2022
“This is why leaks are dangerous. This is why doxxing justices is a bad idea. This is why justices’ homes should be off limits,” tweeted President of the Judicial Crisis Network Carrie Severino.
“This is why the Court must release the Dobbs opinion as soon as possible,” she added. “This is not, to quote the Chief Justice, ‘business as usual’ at the Court. The threat to the justices is not theoretical. Until the opinion is finally released, the justices are in grave danger.”
Severino called on Biden to “stop appeasing the radicals” in his party, emphasizing that “protests belong in the public square, not at justices’ private homes.”
“Will you finally condemn them?” she asked.
This is why leaks are dangerous.
This is why doxxing justices is a bad idea.
This is why justices' homes should be off limits.https://t.co/UTb2i8zRAL
— Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) June 8, 2022
Source: Dailywire
