Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett made a rare joint appearance before House and Senate committees on Tuesday. The main objective was to articulate the need for increased security funding for the justices following a series of death threats and assassination attempts targeting the court following the May 2022 leak of a draft decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the decision that ultimately overturned Roe v. Wade. Justice Barrett described threatening anonymous packages that were sent to her home, and a recent swatting incident where she, her husband, and seven children live. “I didn’t expect that performing this service was going to put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was, and why I had to wear one,” Barrett said, describing a scene where her 12-year-old son raised questions about her vest.
The court is requesting an additional $14.6 million to cover six additional agents per justice. Corporate media figures routinely make unhinged and slanderous comments targeting the Supreme Court. Whenever the Court disagrees with the Left’s radical sensibilities, it is “extreme” or “MAGA.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) threatened the court in 2020, telling Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch specifically that they would “pay the price” and “won’t know what hit you” if they were to overturn Roe v. Wade. Schumer faced a rare public rebuke from Chief Justice John Roberts. “Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous.” Roberts concluded: “All Members of the Court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter.” Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett, right, and Elena Kagan, testify during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)
