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Judges around the country have seen a rise in threats of
violence and intimidation, including a fake swatting call to
police about Barrett’s home in May.
The hearing comes two weeks after the conservative-majority
court finished handing down a series of major opinions,
including a decision that increased President Donald Trump’s
power over federal regulatory agencies and another that rejected
his wide-ranging tariffs, sparking harsh personal criticism.
It's the first time justices have testified before Congress
since 2019, and the two justices could face wide-ranging
questions as they seek to keep focus on the budget.
Security is central to the Supreme Court's budget request
The Supreme Court requested a total of $228 million for next
fiscal year, a roughly 10% increase over the year before. Nearly
$15 million of that would go to expanding personal protection
for justices, with six more agents for each.
Another $2 million would fund an off-site residential security
post aimed at making emergency responses faster, as well as
increasing the number of Supreme Court police officers.
The U.S. Marshals Service, responsible for protecting judges,
reported 564 threats in the government fiscal year that ended in
September, an increase from the year before.
That total includes threats to the hundreds of federal judges
around the country, though the nine-member Supreme Court has not
been immune.
In May, Barrett’s security detail worked with police to quickly
deal with the call determined to be swatting, or a fake 911 call
designed to provoke a police response. Last year, her sister was
the victim of a bomb threat in Charleston, South Carolina,
police said. No bomb was found.
In 2022, shortly after the leak of a draft opinion overturning
the Roe v. Wade abortion decision, a would-be assassin was
arrested near the home of Justice Brett Kavanaugh with weapons
and zip ties.
Chief Justice John Roberts has condemned the threats to all U.S.
judges, saying during a speech in March that criticism of
judicial opinions is understandable, but personally directed
hostility is “dangerous, and it’s got to stop.”
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