Threats to Federal Judges: A Rising Concern in the United States

The United States judiciary system is a cornerstone of democracy, ensuring the fair and impartial administration of justice. However, the safety and security of federal judges have become a significant concern in recent years. According to statistics compiled by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), there were 457 incidents targeting federal judges that were investigated in 2023, a marked increase from the 300 incidents in 2022 and the 179 incidents in 2019.

The USMS, the federal law enforcement agency responsible for protecting the judiciary branch, reported that these numbers represent the threats that were investigated. It is important to note that some judges may have received more than one threat. The trend of increasing threats against federal judges has been consistent since 2019.

The attention on threats against the federal judiciary heightened last year when a judge overseeing a 2020 election-related case against former President Donald Trump became the target of a criminal threat. In August, a Texas woman allegedly left a voicemail message for U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, threatening to kill her and her family. Prosecutors charged the woman for making the threats, and she pleaded not guilty.

Judge Chutkan, who received an enhanced security detail after being randomly assigned to preside over Trump’s case, was also the subject of a “swatting” incident in January. Emergency services in Washington, D.C., received a fake call about a shooting at her home address. Special Counsel Jack Smith, who charged the former president with federal crimes, was also the target of a “swatting” incident.

In 2023, 155 threats against federal prosecutors were investigated, compared to the 93 reported in 2022. In the five-year period between 2019 and 2023, threats against Justice Department attorneys first decreased to just 68 in 2021, before rising to last year’s high. Other public officials, including Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, and GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Brandon Williams of New York, also reported being targets of swatting incidents.

Attorney General Merrick Garland warned of a “disturbing” spike in threats against public officials earlier this year. These threats included hoax bomb threats at government buildings across the country, which prompted numerous disruptive evacuations. “These threats of violence are unacceptable,” Garland told reporters in January. “They threaten the fabric of our democracy.”

In Colorado, members of the state Supreme Court faced violent threats after they ruled that Trump is ineligible to appear on the state’s presidential primary ballot due to his conduct surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. This case is now being reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2022, a California man was charged with trying to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Robert Legare, a CBS News multiplatform reporter and producer covering the Justice Department, federal courts, and investigations, reported on these incidents. Legare previously worked as an associate producer for the “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell.”

The rise in threats against federal judges and other public officials is a concerning trend that threatens the integrity and safety of the United States judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch.

In conclusion, the increasing threats against federal judges and other public officials in the United States pose a significant concern for the safety and integrity of the judiciary system. The USMS reported a record number of investigated threats against federal judges in 2023, with 457 incidents, up from 300 in 2022 and 179 in 2019. These threats not only target judges but also federal prosecutors and other public officials. The trend of increasing threats against the judiciary branch has been consistent since 2019, with a significant spike in 2023. The attention on these threats heightened last year when a judge overseeing a case against former President Donald Trump became the target of a criminal threat and a swatting incident. The USMS reported that 155 threats against federal prosecutors were investigated in 2023, compared to the 93 reported in 2022. The five-year period between 2019 and 2023 saw threats against Justice Department attorneys decrease to just 68 in 2021 before rising to last year’s high. Other public officials, including Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, and GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Brandon Williams of New York, also reported being targets of swatting incidents. Attorney General Merrick Garland warned of a “disturbing” spike in threats against public officials earlier this year, which included hoax bomb threats at government buildings across the country. These threats not only threaten the safety of those targeted but also the integrity of the judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch.

The rise in threats against federal judges and other public officials is a concerning trend that threatens the safety and integrity of the United States judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch. The USMS reported a record number of investigated threats against federal judges in 2023, with 457 incidents, up from 300 in 2022 and 179 in 2019. These threats not only target judges but also federal prosecutors and other public officials. The trend of increasing threats against the judiciary branch has been consistent since 2019, with a significant spike in 2023. The attention on these threats heightened last year when a judge overseeing a case against former President Donald Trump became the target of a criminal threat and a swatting incident. The USMS reported that 155 threats against federal prosecutors were investigated in 2023, compared to the 93 reported in 2022. The five-year period between 2019 and 2023 saw threats against Justice Department attorneys decrease to just 68 in 2021 before rising to last year’s high. Other public officials, including Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, and GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Brandon Williams of New York, also reported being targets of swatting incidents. Attorney General Merrick Garland warned of a “disturbing” spike in threats against public officials earlier this year, which included hoax bomb threats at government buildings across the country. These threats not only threaten the safety of those targeted but also the integrity of the judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch.

The rise in threats against federal judges and other public officials is a concerning trend that threatens the safety and integrity of the United States judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch. The USMS reported a record number of investigated threats against federal judges in 2023, with 457 incidents, up from 300 in 2022 and 179 in 2019. These threats not only target judges but also federal prosecutors and other public officials. The trend of increasing threats against the judiciary branch has been consistent since 2019, with a significant spike in 2023. The attention on these threats heightened last year when a judge overseeing a case against former President Donald Trump became the target of a criminal threat and a swatting incident. The USMS reported that 155 threats against federal prosecutors were investigated in 2023, compared to the 93 reported in 2022. The five-year period between 2019 and 2023 saw threats against Justice Department attorneys decrease to just 68 in 2021 before rising to last year’s high. Other public officials, including Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, and GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Brandon Williams of New York, also reported being targets of swatting incidents. Attorney General Merrick Garland warned of a “disturbing” spike in threats against public officials earlier this year, which included hoax bomb threats at government buildings across the country. These threats not only threaten the safety of those targeted but also the integrity of the judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch.

The rise in threats against federal judges and other public officials is a concerning trend that threatens the safety and integrity of the United States judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch. The USMS reported a record number of investigated threats against federal judges in 2023, with 457 incidents, up from 300 in 2022 and 179 in 2019. These threats not only target judges but also federal prosecutors and other public officials. The trend of increasing threats against the judiciary branch has been consistent since 2019, with a significant spike in 2023. The attention on these threats heightened last year when a judge overseeing a case against former President Donald Trump became the target of a criminal threat and a swatting incident. The USMS reported that 155 threats against federal prosecutors were investigated in 2023, compared to the 93 reported in 2022. The five-year period between 2019 and 2023 saw threats against Justice Department attorneys decrease to just 68 in 2021 before rising to last year’s high. Other public officials, including Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, and GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Brandon Williams of New York, also reported being targets of swatting incidents. Attorney General Merrick Garland warned of a “disturbing” spike in threats against public officials earlier this year, which included hoax bomb threats at government buildings across the country. These threats not only threaten the safety of those targeted but also the integrity of the judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch.

The rise in threats against federal judges and other public officials is a concerning trend that threatens the safety and integrity of the United States judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch. The USMS reported a record number of investigated threats against federal judges in 2023, with 457 incidents, up from 300 in 2022 and 179 in 2019. These threats not only target judges but also federal prosecutors and other public officials. The trend of increasing threats against the judiciary branch has been consistent since 2019, with a significant spike in 2023. The attention on these threats heightened last year when a judge overseeing a case against former President Donald Trump became the target of a criminal threat and a swatting incident. The USMS reported that 155 threats against federal prosecutors were investigated in 2023, compared to the 93 reported in 2022. The five-year period between 2019 and 2023 saw threats against Justice Department attorneys decrease to just 68 in 2021 before rising to last year’s high. Other public officials, including Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, and GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Brandon Williams of New York, also reported being targets of swatting incidents. Attorney General Merrick Garland warned of a “disturbing” spike in threats against public officials earlier this year, which included hoax bomb threats at government buildings across the country. These threats not only threaten the safety of those targeted but also the integrity of the judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch.

The rise in threats against federal judges and other public officials is a concerning trend that threatens the safety and integrity of the United States judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch. The USMS reported a record number of investigated threats against federal judges in 2023, with 457 incidents, up from 300 in 2022 and 179 in 2019. These threats not only target judges but also federal prosecutors and other public officials. The trend of increasing threats against the judiciary branch has been consistent since 2019, with a significant spike in 2023. The attention on these threats heightened last year when a judge overseeing a case against former President Donald Trump became the target of a criminal threat and a swatting incident. The USMS reported that 155 threats against federal prosecutors were investigated in 2023, compared to the 93 reported in 2022. The five-year period between 2019 and 2023 saw threats against Justice Department attorneys decrease to just 68 in 2021 before rising to last year’s high. Other public officials, including Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, and GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Brandon Williams of New York, also reported being targets of swatting incidents. Attorney General Merrick Garland warned of a “disturbing” spike in threats against public officials earlier this year, which included hoax bomb threats at government buildings across the country. These threats not only threaten the safety of those targeted but also the integrity of the judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch.

The rise in threats against federal judges and other public officials is a concerning trend that threatens the safety and integrity of the United States judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch. The USMS reported a record number of investigated threats against federal judges in 2023, with 457 incidents, up from 300 in 2022 and 179 in 2019. These threats not only target judges but also federal prosecutors and other public officials. The trend of increasing threats against the judiciary branch has been consistent since 2019, with a significant spike in 2023. The attention on these threats heightened last year when a judge overseeing a case against former President Donald Trump became the target of a criminal threat and a swatting incident. The USMS reported that 155 threats against federal prosecutors were investigated in 2023, compared to the 93 reported in 2022. The five-year period between 2019 and 2023 saw threats against Justice Department attorneys decrease to just 68 in 2021 before rising to last year’s high. Other public officials, including Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, and GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Brandon Williams of New York, also reported being targets of swatting incidents. Attorney General Merrick Garland warned of a “disturbing” spike in threats against public officials earlier this year, which included hoax bomb threats at government buildings across the country. These threats not only threaten the safety of those targeted but also the integrity of the judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch.

The rise in threats against federal judges and other public officials is a concerning trend that threatens the safety and integrity of the United States judiciary system. It is essential that law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute these threats to ensure the safety of those who serve our country in the judiciary branch. The USMS reported a record number of investigated threats against federal judges in 2023, with 457 incidents, up from 300 in 2022 and 179 in 2019. These threats not only target judges but also federal prosecutors and other public officials. The trend of increasing threats against the judiciary branch has been consistent since 2019, with a significant spike in 2023. The attention on these threats heightened last year when a judge overseeing a case against former President Donald Trump became the target of a criminal threat and a swatting incident. The USMS reported that 155 threats against federal prosecutors were investigated in 2023, compared to the 93 reported in 20