May 13, 2022 - Attorney General Miyares Urges United States Attorney General Garland to Enforce the Law and Protect Supreme Court Justices
Commonwealth of Virginia Office of the Attorney General
Jason S. Miyares Attorney General
202 North 9th Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-786-2071 FAX 804-786-1991 Virginia Relay Service 800-828-1120
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ATTORNEY GENERAL MIYARES URGES UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL GARLAND TO ENFORCE THE LAW AND PROTECT SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
RICHMOND, VA -- Attorney General Jason Miyares is calling on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to enforce the federal law that prevents intimidating U.S. Supreme Court Justices by protesting outside their homes.
“Justices must be able to make legal decisions guided solely by the letter of the law in order for our justice system to survive. That’s why federal law makes it illegal to protest outside a Judge’s home. Attempts to pressure Supreme Court Justices into altering their votes through intimidation and harassment is not only illegal, but dangerous to society," said Attorney General Miyares.
Attorney General Miyares joined 24 other state attorneys general demanding that U.S. Attorney General Garland stop playing politics and enforce the federal law.
The state attorneys general wrote: “Following last week’s leak of a draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, pro-abortion activists have begun protesting not just outside the Supreme Court, but outside the Justices’ homes, in the hope of pressuring the Justices to change their votes. As a former federal judge and the current head of the Department of Justice, you must surely appreciate the unique risks to both judges and the rule of law when judges are targeted at their homes. That is why Congress has long barred ‘picket [Ing] or parade [Ing]’ near a judge’s home ‘with the intent of interfering with, obstructing, or impeding the administration of justice.’ We the undersigned Attorneys General act daily to uphold the rule of law. These remarkable recent events provide you an opportunity to do the same.”
Read the full letter HERE.
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