Jonathan Turley: Leftists demonize the Supreme Court and ‘eviscerate the court’
Jonathan Turley, a contributor to Fox News, asserts that organized protests outside the homes of Supreme Court justices form part of a political effort aimed at weakening the court’s authority. He criticizes the increasingly negative language directed at judges, referencing incidents like the attempt on Justice Kavanaugh’s life and a disturbing protest featuring a “bloody doll” outside Justice Barrett’s residence in June 2022.
A senior official from the Trump administration at the Department of Homeland Security has called out the “liberal media” for describing the president’s remarks about activist judges as “utterly absurd.”
James Percival, who serves as the general counsel for the Department of Homeland Security, shared a thread on social media last week titled “The Worst of the Worst, District Judge Edition.” In this context, Percival highlighted the dangers faced by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while carrying out their duties, suggesting some judges are hindering these efforts and endangering the agents.
Percival later received an inquiry from a reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times asking about potential risks stemming from “social media posts like this,” particularly in light of ongoing threats against federal judges.
In his response, Percival criticized the news media. He stressed that “factual and reasonable criticism of judges and their decisions is entirely appropriate in a free society,” and he pointed out that the media tends to overlook issues when conservative judges are at the center of controversy.
Acts of violence and aggressive criticism have specifically targeted conservative justices. For instance, Justice Kavanaugh survived a plot against his life when an armed man appeared at his home. Justice Barrett recently testified that she needed to wear a bulletproof vest due to threats against her.
In his series, Percival also took issue with various district judges in sanctuary areas, notably in states like Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, and California.
Percival further mentioned a ruling made by Matthew Kennelly, a judge nominated by Clinton, who imposed a nationwide halt on ending Temporary Protected Status for immigrants from Burma. He claimed that this ruling was not only baseless but also obstructed judicial processes, especially since the Supreme Court had previously endorsed similar decisions.
Additionally, Percival discussed a recent order made by California District Judge Hernan Vera, who micromanaged how DHS should manage force against violent protesters in Los Angeles. He criticized how the judge characterized agitators as “protesters” while labeling DHS measures as “violent.”
Percival highlighted incidents where agitators in Los Angeles has attacked DHS employees and even attempted to sabotage federal property.
Meanwhile, Sean Lewis, a spokesman for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, reiterated that federal judges are obligated to remain impartial and independent of public opinion when making rulings. He also noted that if anyone disagrees with a court decision, the proper channel for challenge would be through an appeal.
Fox News Digital has reached out to both the Chicago Sun-Times and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California for their comments on this issue.
