Update (1549ET): 26-year-old Nicholas John Roske of California has been charged with attempted murder for threatening to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh, over the Supreme Court’s leaked opinion which would overturn the right to kill unborn babies.
Roske said he wanted to give his life purpose. He found Kavanaugh's address online.
"Roske then told the detective that he was upset about the leak of a recent Supreme Court draft decision regarding the right to abortion as well as the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas." pic.twitter.com/Yec8tDBYnH
— Kevin Lewis (@KevinLewis7News) June 8, 2022
According to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in Maryland, Roske brought a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a knife, zip ties, pepper spray, duct tape and other items which he told police he intended to use to break into Kavanaugh’s house and kill him.
Roske, 26, told police he was upset by a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is about to overrule Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion case. He also said he was upset over the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, and believed Kavanaugh would vote to loosen gun control laws, the affidavit said.
When he got out of the taxi, Roske was spotted by two U.S. Marshals who are part of round-the-clock security provided to the justices following the leak of the draft opinion last month. But Roske was only apprehended after he called 911 in Montgomery County, Maryland, and said he was having suicidal thoughts and planned to kill Kavanaugh, having found the justice’s address online. Roske was still on the phone when Montgomery County police arrived on the scene, according to the affidavit. –Fox News
“This kind of behavior is obviously behavior we will not tolerate,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland in a Wednesday presser. “Threats of violence and actual violence against the justices of course strike at the heart of our democracy and we will do everything we can to prevent them and to hold people who do them accountable.”
Roske faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
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Update (1335ET): In the wake of this morning’s arrest of a gunman near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house, the White House is doing serious damage control after people began pointing out that former White House spox Jen Psaki encouraged people to protest outside the homes of USSC Justices.
“She never encouraged people to protest outside justices’ homes,” tweeted Deputy White House Press Secretary Andrew Bates in response to former Trump Spox Kayleigh McEnany- who then provided a transcript in which he highlights Psaki saying “protests have been peaceful to date.”
In the very next line, however, Psaki says “and we certainly continue to encourage that – outside of judges’ homes.”
(As opposed to, say, “we continue to encourage that – just not outside of judges’ homes”)
In short – the White House’s official position is – or was – that protesting outside Justices’ homes is OK… as long as they remain peaceful.
Unsurprisingly – given the source – this presentation is dishonest.
The full answer (from one of Jen's *hundreds* of briefings) made the opposite point.
She said we encouraged protesters to remain peaceful.
She never encouraged people to protest outside justices' homes. https://t.co/6RaGjJNCn5 pic.twitter.com/TsxOAqwRMB
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) June 8, 2022
And we all know what the left considers ‘peaceful’…
Bates is now the recipient of an epic Twitter dragging:
Thanks for providing the transcript where Psaki explicitly says the White House encourages left-wing nutjobs to protest outside of justices' homes.
Are you illiterate, or just really dumb and dishonest? Or all of them? I'm leaning towards dumb, illiterate, and dishonest. https://t.co/IRm7MPlvPL
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) June 8, 2022
Can you read? pic.twitter.com/C0UcY6vQET
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) June 8, 2022
She very literally did encourage it. I can see it right there in the quote you provide.
— Paul B. Kelly (@ImInSTL) June 8, 2022
The Biden regime isn’t just “allow[ing]” mobs to swarm the homes of pro-life SCOTUS justices — they’re ENCOURAGING it. Psaki herself explicitly said from the White House podium that they “encourage” protests at private residences. They desire violence. https://t.co/90julD6BwI
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) June 8, 2022
Of note, the man was charged with attempted murder.
* * *
An armed man who planned to kill Brett Kavanaugh was arrested early Wednesday morning at around 1:50am outside the Supreme Court Justice’s house.
According to the Washington Post, initial evidence indicates that the man was angry about the leaked Roe v. Wade decision overturning the constitutional right to abortion. He was also angry about recent mass shootings, the Post added.
The man, who is not from Maryland, was arrested without incident after taking a taxi to Kavanaugh’s home. According to authorities, he was stopped near the residence, but not at it.
JUST IN – Armed gunman arrested nearby U.S. Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh's house. He planned to kill the justice.pic.twitter.com/MD34m2Y6qo
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) June 8, 2022
“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. He was transported to Montgomery County Police 2nd District,” reads a statement from the Supreme Court.
Kavanaugh’s home, like those of other conservative Supreme Court justices, was the site of protests last month after the leak of a majority draft opinion that would overturn the constitutional right to abortion. That draft was written by Justice Samuel Alito, another conservative.
Montgomery County Police Department did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment. A spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Service said the agency was looking into the arrest.
Security has been tightened at all nine of the justices’ homes since last month, after the unprecedented leak of the draft opinion. –CNBC
At least one person, Congressional candidate Vernon Jones, suggested that Chuck Schumer’s rhetoric was a factor.
Last night, a deranged man sought to murder Brett Kavanaugh at his family’s home.
Following this CLEAR incitement of violence by @chuckschumer, he should be charged as well.
This not acceptable in any civil society. pic.twitter.com/9htw4RQh9H
— Vernon Jones For Congress (@VernonForGA) June 8, 2022
In mid-May, the DOJ said that the Marshals Service would provide “around-the-clock-security” at the homes of all nine justices. According to a spokesman, that security is still in place.
via zerohedge