Senate Moves to Protect Justices' Families Amid Protests At Homes

The Senate passed a bill to expand police protections for Supreme Court justices to include their immediate family members after protests prompted by a leaked draft ruling that indicated the court will overturn Roe v. Wade. The measure passed late Monday by unanimous consent. The broad support in the Senate suggests a pathway to passage in the House. A draft published by Politico suggested that the conservative wing of the court was preparing to undo the 1973 Roe decision, which established abortion as a constitutional right, in a pending Mississippi abortion case. Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the draft was authentic but cautioned it wasn’t final. The Supreme Court building is surrounded by security fencing to guard against potential threats. Over the weekend, protesters demonstrated outside the homes of Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts in suburban Chevy Chase, Md. About 100 protesters marched to Justice Samuel Alito’s home in Alexandria, Va., on Monday night, Politico reports. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R=KY)) accused progressives of trying to harass justices at their homes in order to achieve a desired judicial outcome, saying they were trying to “replace the rule of law with the rule of mobs.” He also said the White House had been slow to condemn such protests. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said protesters “should never resort to violence, to threats, to intimidation in any way, shape, or form.” If Roe is overturned, some states have plans to curtail access to abortions, while other states have moved to codify existing law.