Latest news with #SpeakUpforJustice
New York Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
The Climate of Fear Has Reached Into Unexpected Places
Have you ever written words that you thought might get you killed? Have you ever written words that you worry might get someone you love killed? That's the reality that federal judges are facing across the nation. Our awful era of intimidation and political violence has come for them, and it represents a serious threat to the independence and integrity of the American judiciary. The details are grim. Federal judges are facing a surge in threats. As my colleagues in the newsroom reported this year, data collected by the U.S. Marshals Service shows that 80 judges received threats in the five months before March 1. In the six weeks that followed — a period that coincided with a sharp increase in MAGA complaints online about judicial rulings — 162 judges received threats. To say that judges 'received threats' is a bland way of describing a series of terrifying messages and encounters. A week ago, a group called Speak Up for Justice, which advocates an independent judiciary, hosted five sitting federal judges who publicly shared their stories. Judge Jack McConnell, who issued a ruling against the Trump administration in March, said his court has received more than 400 'vile, threatening, horrible voice mails.' At the start of the event, Judge McConnell played one of those messages, a furious, profanity-laden tirade that included an explicit assassination threat. Judge McConnell said that he'd been on the bench for almost 15 years, and that this was the 'one time that actually shook my faith in the judicial system and the rule of law.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Boston Globe
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
In emotional event, Rhode Island judge, peers make rare public comments about increasing threats to judiciary
'I've been on the bench almost 15 years, and I must say it's the one time that actually shook my faith in the judicial system and the rule of law,' McConnell said of receiving the voice mail and 400 calls attacking and threatening him for his ruling. Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up McConnell was one of five sitting federal judges who spoke during the panel event—which at times grew emotional—decrying attacks on the federal judiciary under the Trump administration. The event was organized by 'Speak Up for Justice,' a pro-judiciary group founded by a Los Angeles trial lawyer. Advertisement McConnell said there were six credible threats to his life including someone searching for his home address on the dark web, and pizza deliveries that US Marshals informed him were intended to telegraph that his critics knew where he and his family lived. He said the deliveries were particularly rattling when they were made using the name of Daniel Anderl, the late son of New Jersey US District Judge Esther Salas who was murdered in 2020 in an attack targeting Salas. Advertisement 'The most heartbreaking call I've ever had to make was when the Marshals called me and told me that a pizza had been delivered in her son Daniel's name,' McConnell said. 'I called my friend Esther because I thought she needed to know what was going on. And we had a good cry over it, but at the end, a good attempt to right ourselves and know ... that we had a cause to fight for.' He also noted that online right-wing activists including Laura Loomer and Elon Musk McConnell was joined on the panel by Judges Robert S. Lasnik and John C. Coughenour of Washington, Judge Karoline Mehalchick of Pennsylvania, who is president-elect of the Federal Bar Association, and Salas, who fought back tears as she talked about her late son's name being attached to this wave of threats. Lasnick said more than 50 such pizza deliveries have been made to judges nationwide. 'To her that my beautiful son's name, everything that Danny stands for is love and light, and to hear people using it as a weapon — weaponizing his name to inflict fear on Judge McConnell and Judge Lasnick and Judge Lasnick's kids,' Salas said, her voice laden with emotion. 'Judges are being threatened, and these threats are threats that go to the core of a human being.' Advertisement Federal judges rarely speak publicly about themselves and avoid politics, usually letting their rulings speak for them. But the judges on the call, including McConnell, said they felt compelled to speak out against what they see as an unprecedented rise in threats and inflammatory rhetoric that undermines the independence of the court system. 'I didn't want to be here, it took me a long time,' McConnell said. 'I'm not looking for sympathy. I want to be able to just do my job again. I want to be able to uphold the Constitution and I want the public to speak out once again in support of an independent judiciary, a judiciary where each one of us is safe to follow the rule of law without fear or favor.' The judges were careful to avoid partisanship, saying that inflammatory rhetoric against judges is wrong from any political party. But Salas went one step further, saying 'we have to speak the facts' and that the Trump White House is going farther in its attacks on judges than she's seen in the past. 'We've seen it come from both sides, but now it's at a level that I have to honestly say … is different," Salas said. 'We're seeing things coming out from the top down, from White House spokespeople calling us ' Advertisement She called on political figures to 'stop villainizing us' with rhetoric like 'deranged,' 'idiots' and 'monsters'—language that has been used by The White House decried threats to judges when asked for comment on her allegations. 'Attacks against public officials, including judges, have no place in our society and President Trump knows all too well the impact of callous attacks having faced two assassination attempts,' White House spokesperson Harrison Fields told the Globe. Salas encouraged officials to focus on the substance of rulings, not the judges. 'They are inviting people to do us harm,' Salas said. 'Don't make it personal, appeal us to a higher court, but if you're a leader in this country, lead responsibly.' Tal Kopan can be reached at
Newsweek
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Former Supreme Court Justice Warns Freedom and Democracy 'At Risk'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Amid an uptick in threats to judges, former Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy warned that the current hostility in America's political discourse imperils freedom and democracy. Why It Matters Rhetoric by President Donald Trump, including calls on social media for the impeachment of judges who have ruled against his policies, has triggered urgent warnings from current and former members of the Supreme Court about the stability of the country's legal systems. These attacks, which have included labeling judges as "troublemakers" and "monsters" in public posts, have raised concerns about undermining the independence of the judiciary, an institution considered essential to protecting American democracy. Current Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, a Republican appointee, also referenced the public attacks on judges in a rare statement, saying, "For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose." What To Know In a virtual forum on Thursday for the event "Speak Up for Justice," with other judges from around the world, Kennedy said that "We should be concerned in this country about, as I've already indicated, the tone of our political discourse," according to Reuters. The Ronald Reagan appointee continued: "Identity politics are used so that a person is characterized by his or her partisan affiliation. That's not what democracy and civil discourse is about." Kennedy noted that the rest of the world seems to monitor how things operate in the United States "to see what democracy ought to be." "And if they see a hostile, fractious discourse, if they see a discourse that uses identity politics rather than to talk about issues, democracy is at risk," the retired justice said. "Freedom is at risk." He urged for judges and their families to have protection, and said they are best protected "when the public and our nation realize how central they are to our discourse." Kennedy did not mention Trump by name during the event, Reuters reports. Former U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy speaks at the World Law Congress at U.N. headquarters in New York City on July 21, 2023. (Photo by YUKI IWAMURA/AFP via Getty Images) Former U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy speaks at the World Law Congress at U.N. headquarters in New York City on July 21, 2023. (Photo by YUKI IWAMURA/AFP via Getty Images) Trump has sharply criticized jurists who have ruled against his administration's key policies—most notably U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg—whom he described as a "troublemaker and agitator" while calling for his impeachment after the judge blocked usage of the Alien Enemies Act for deportation flights. According to Politico, U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, whose family was targeted in a fatal attack in 2020, noted during the same virtual event that the U.S. Marshals Service has recorded over 400 threats against federal judges so far this year. Salas attributed the rise to disinformation and inflammatory rhetoric "from the top down." What People Are Saying Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, in May on threats to judges, in part: "The threats and harassment are attacks on our democracy, on our system of government. And they ultimately risk undermining our Constitution and the rule of law." Trump, during his 100th day in office speech in Michigan, in part: "We cannot allow a handful of communist radical left judges to obstruct the enforcement of our laws and assume the duties that belong solely to the president of the United States. Judges are trying to take away the power given to the president to keep our country safe ... it's not a good thing." Former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg, to Newsweek when asked if Kennedy's comments were a poke at Trump: "It's clearly a poke at the President, especially because Justice Kennedy's exit from the Court allowed Trump to shift it to the right with the appointment of Justice [Brett] Kavanaugh." What Happens Next As threats continue to be tracked by law enforcement, congressional debate and judicial responses are expected to intensify as the Supreme Court approaches the conclusion of its current term.
The Hill
26-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Retired Justice Kennedy urges civil political discourse at legal forum
Retired Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy on Thursday urged a more civil American discourse modeled after judges at a legal forum established to defend the judiciary against attacks. 'We should be concerned in this country about the tone of our political discourse,' Kennedy said during a virtual event held by the nonpartisan group Speak Up for Justice. The retired justice suggested that identity politics, or characterizing a person by their partisan affiliation, is not conducive to democracy and civil discourse. Treating others with decency and respecting their dignity is, he said. 'This is what judges do, and this is why judges are of central importance,' Kennedy added. The virtual event marked a rare public appearance for the former justice, who retired from the bench in 2018. His remarks come as the courts have faced a barrage of attacks from President Trump and his supporters, as his sweeping second-term agenda is delayed by legal challenges. Though Kennedy did not directly mention Trump, he focused on America's fragile perception as a role model for other countries, particularly as conflict has roiled the Middle East. 'If they see a hostile fractious discourse, if they see a discourse that uses identity politics rather than to talk about issues, democracy is at risk; freedom is at risk,' Kennedy said. The former justice also briefly touched on threats against judges, which have drastically risen since Trump returned to the White House. The New York Times reported in May that 162 judges received threats in the six weeks after March 1, coinciding with harsh rhetoric criticizing judges who have ruled against the administration. In the five months prior, only 80 judges had received threats, the Times found. Kennedy said that 'another way' judges can protect themselves is by 'showing they are engaged day in and day out of resolving disputes in a civil, decent way.' But ultimately, all Americans' goal should be to 'preserve freedom and enhance freedom' for generations to come, he said. 'We must always say no to tyranny and yes to truth,' the retired justice added.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The calculated cruelty targeting the U.S. legal system
We come from different corners of the legal world: one of us a trial lawyer in Los Angeles, the other a federal judge in New Jersey. But we've both reached the same conclusion: The legal system in the United States is under attack, literally and figuratively. And if we don't speak out now, we may lose the very institution that holds democracy together. That's why we created Speak Up for Justice, a national forum taking place Tuesday. It's not a conference. It's a line in the sand. Political violence has becoming alarmingly frequent in recent years, with the arson at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's residence this weekend just the latest example. The legal system has not been spared. For years, we've watched as threats against judges and attorneys became more common and more dangerous. Court rulings are dismissed as partisan. Law firms are harassed for doing their jobs. Judges are vilified and, in some cases, targeted with violence. We have both experienced the fear and vulnerability that comes with doing our work in this increasingly hostile climate. In 2020, Esther's son, Daniel, was murdered by a man who came to their home with a gun, looking for her. The killer was enraged by the idea that judges could rule independently and wanted to send a message. That message cost Daniel his life. We wish we could say that was the last time judges were personally threatened. But it wasn't. Just this month, pizzas have been sent to judges' homes across the country with the message 'I know where you live.' Some recipients were the children of judges. In a horrifying twist, some of these deliveries were ordered using Daniel's name. It's not just cruelty, but its also calculated intimidation. These are not isolated events. They are part of a broader pattern of fear-based tactics aimed at silencing legal professionals and undermining the independence of the courts. And they're working: many in the legal community are afraid to speak up. We understand that fear. We've lived it. But if we let it silence us, we risk losing far more than our voices — we risk losing the very foundation of justice in this country. Speak Up for Justice was born from that urgency. We wanted to create a space in which judges, lawyers, advocates and everyday citizens could come together and say: Enough. Enough with the threats. Enough with the harassment. Enough with letting fear dictate how justice is carried out. The rule of law still matters. We know the legal system isn't perfect. We both work inside it every day and we've seen its flaws. But we've also seen the good it can do. When it functions freely and fairly, the legal system protects the most vulnerable, resolves disputes peacefully and keeps power in check. That only works if people believe that the courts are independent and that legal professionals can do their jobs without fearing for their lives — or their children's lives. We're not asking for praise. We're asking for protection. We're asking for acknowledgment that legal professionals shouldn't be collateral damage in ideological or political battles. Most of all, we're asking for people to care. This is not just about judges and lawyers. It's about whether we as a nation still believe in justice — not as a buzzword, but as a process that must be defended and made accessible to all. If you care about democracy, if you care about fairness, if you care about the kind of country we're leaving for the next generation — then we ask you to stand with us. Share our message. And commit to pushing back against the normalization of intimidation and violence in our legal system. We didn't want to create this event. We needed to. And we need you, too. This article was originally published on
