The Department of Justice has launched an investigation into Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for his past threats against conservative Supreme Court justices.
According to The Washington Post, interim D.C. U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. is leading the probe, which will scrutinize Democratic leaders and former Justice Department officials. Among those under investigation is Schumer, due to comments he made regarding Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
“We take threats against public officials very seriously,” Martin wrote Schumer in a letter on January 21st. “I look forward to your cooperation.”
During a pro-abortion rally in 2020, Schumer explicitly warned the two justices of consequences if they overturned Roe v. Wade—a decision they ultimately delivered in 2022. “I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price,” Chuck Schumer declared. “You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”
Schumer never formally apologized for the remarks, despite a rare public reprimand from Chief Justice John Roberts, who condemned the statements as “dangerous” and “inappropriate.” Schumer later claimed his words were misinterpreted, stating, “I shouldn’t have used the words I did, but in no way was I making a threat.”
This investigation follows heightened scrutiny over political rhetoric and its impact on public officials, particularly as concerns about threats and intimidation against conservative figures continue to grow.
Last month, Schumer faced renewed scrutiny Sunday over his past comments defending President Joe Biden’s mental fitness. Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, Schumer was pressed about earlier claims dismissing concerns over Biden’s cognitive decline.
Instead of addressing the criticism, Schumer repeated his assertions, further fueling allegations of a coordinated effort to obscure Biden’s condition from the American public.
In February 2024, Schumer claimed Biden’s “mental acuity is great” during a press conference addressing the findings of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents. Hur’s report detailed Biden’s memory struggles and significant mental decline, ultimately concluding that the president was too frail to stand trial. At the time, Schumer labeled concerns over Biden’s fitness as “right-wing propaganda.”
