Columbia Standard

U.S. Senators, led by Sheldon Whitehouse, have issued a formal plea to the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), expressing deep concern over the increasing threats against federal judges, Supreme Court justices, and their families. In correspondence dated Friday, Senators noted a rise in threats, urging the USMS to intensify their protective measures and investigations.

"The USMS’s Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report noted an increase in ‘the need for protective services’ and ‘the number and intensity of concerning and potentially threatening electronic communications related to’ judges and other persons involved in the judicial process," the letter stated, indicating significant concern from judges across political lines about their safety.

To counteract these threats, the federal judiciary established the Judicial Security and Independence Task Force. The aim is to safeguard judges amid increasing violence and intimidation. The Senate Democrats' letter requests a review of the USMS’s resource allocation and ability to protect judicial personnel.

"The USMS, as the agency primarily responsible for the federal judiciary’s safety, must protect against these threats. As family members increasingly become targets, USMS should be prepared to provide protection as needed for targeted family members," the senators urged.

Requesting a briefing, the letter included several questions. It asked about the USMS’s response to threats, steps for ensuring judges' family safety, investigation and trend analysis capacities, impacts of funding cuts, and needs for resources. The evaluation of whether threats constitute violations under federal statute 18 U.S.C. § 1503 was also queried.

The letter reiterated that violence against judges has been growing, with instances of severe threats including an assassination attempt on a Supreme Court Justice and threats to other justices’ families. The concern has reached such a level that the Senators seek clarity and action from the USMS to ensure comprehensive protection.

In March, Whitehouse had acknowledged the Task Force's creation and stressed the importance of addressing growing online threats to judges. As these threats persist, the senators anticipate guidance from the USMS on their security operations moving forward.

Federal judges are increasingly facing attacks, and the Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats, led by Whitehouse, aim for decisive measures from the USMS to address these escalating security challenges.