It is not often that you see the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court directly rebuke a sitting U.S. Senator. On Wednesday afternoon, Chief Justice John Roberts rebuked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for his threatening remarks calling them dangerous.
Schumer during a rally hosted by the Center for Reproductive Rights on Wednesday morning directed his remarks at President Donald Trump’s appointments to the Supreme Court, Associate Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
“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,” he said.
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Wednesday morning in the case of June Medical Services v. Russo. The case involves a Louisiana law requiring abortionists to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of where they perform an abortion. The bill was introduced in 2014 by Democratic State Representative Katrina Jackson and passed by overwhelming bipartisan majorities (88-5 in the State House and 34-3 in the State Senate) and signed into law by former Governor Bobby Jindal.
The rally was in response to that case.
Roberts, in his statement, wrote, “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,” he continued.
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo., tweeted he would offer a motion for the Senate to censure Schumer for his remarks.