See below for update.
An armed California man was arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaugh's home between 1:00 and 2:00 am Wednesday and allegedly told law enforcement he wanted to kill the Supreme Court justice, according to reporting from multiple sources that was confirmed by the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
I can confirm the man taken into custody outside of Brett Kavanaugh's house last night is a 26 year old white male with a California driver's license. Previous address in Seattle.
— Karol Markowicz (@karol) June 8, 2022
According to SCOTUSblog, a spokesperson for the Court confirmed 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."
Sources who spoke with The Washington Post provided additional details:
The man was reportedly carrying "at least one weapon" when he was confronted by authorities. WaPo's report was sparse on specific details, but what was reported is damning in light of the White House's refusal to condemn protests targeting justices private homes:
The individual, described as a man in his mid-20s, was found to be carrying at least one weapon and burglary tools, these people said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. Police were apparently notified that the person might pose a threat to the justice, but it was not immediately clear who provided the initial tip, these people said. The man apparently did not make it on to Kavanaugh’s property in Montgomery County, but he was stopped on a nearby street, these people said.
Two people familiar with the investigation said the initial evidence indicates the man was angry about the leaked draft of an opinion by the Supreme Court signaling the court is preparing to overturn Roe. v. Wade, the 49-year-old decision that guaranteed a person’s constitutional right to have an abortion. He was also angry over a recent spate of mass shootings, those people said.
Before she left for her MSNBC gig, then-White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki tried to brush off leftists targeting originalist Supreme Court Justices' homes as just a result of "women across the country [who] are worried about their fundamental rights."
DOOCY: "These activists posted a map with the home addresses of the Supreme Court justices. Is that kind of thing this president wants...?"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 5, 2022
PSAKI: "The reason people are protesting is because women across the country are worried about their fundamental rights." pic.twitter.com/TCpXCOwfQR
After several justices' homes were subsequently targeted and violent threats escalated, the White House's Karine Jean-Pierre tweeted a too-little, too-late clarification that President Biden only supports peaceful protests.
The arrest of a man with at least one weapon who proclaimed his desire to kill Justice Kavanaugh over the leaked SCOTUS opinion that showed Roe v. Wade being overturned follows violent attacks against pro-life organizations as the left's rhetoric — and actions — against conservatives continue to escalate.
2 years and 3 months after Chuck Schumer threatened Brett Kavanaugh from the steps of the Court, a lunatic shows up to his house with a gun hoping to kill him.
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) June 8, 2022
Pretty clear line from that through encouraging protestors at Justice’s homes to real danger.https://t.co/vlq7OxeZz8
UPDATE:
Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) reacted to the news:
MCCONNELL on SCOTUS assassination attempt: 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.
— Senate Republican Communications Center (@SRCC) June 8, 2022
As did Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), whose bipartisan bill to enhance security for Supreme Court justices has been stalled by Democrats in the House of Representatives.
“The arrest of this individual proves these threats to the Justices’ lives are horrifyingly real, and it’s unconscionable for House Democrats to leave their families without police protection for even one more day,” said Sen. Cornyn. “Speaker Pelosi must keep the House in session until they pass my bill. Every day they don’t the threat to the Justices grows, the potential for tragedy becomes more likely, and House Democrats achieve a new apex of political dysfunction.”
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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