Federal Judges Face Escalating Threats and Harassment

Rise in Threats Against Federal Judges

• 📈 Online hate speech against federal judges has surged by 327% in the past year, according to research by the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism.
• ⚠️ Judges and their families are experiencing a dramatic increase in threats, including swatting incidents and bomb threats.
• 🗣️ A forum highlighted these growing concerns, with judges sharing personal experiences of harassment.

Examples of Harassment Tactics

• ✉️ Judges are receiving virulent messages in their chambers, with some courts receiving over 400 such messages, including calls for assassination and imprisonment.
• 🍕 Pizza doxing is a common tactic, with hundreds of pizzas being sent to judges' home addresses, and even to the homes of their adult children.
• 🎯 These pizzas are sometimes sent in the name of judges whose family members have been victims of violence, such as Judge Esther Solace, whose son was killed by a disgruntled lawyer.

Impact on the Judiciary

• ⚖️ The threats extend beyond the judges themselves to their children and families, causing immense distress.
• 🏛️ US Marshals have cautioned judges against speaking out, but some, like Judge Solace, continue to do so to advocate for the independent judiciary.
• 😟 The escalating threats have shaken judges' faith in their ability to perform their jobs independently.

Expanding Scope of Threats

• 🌍 The harassment is not limited to federal judges; state judges in Colorado and Florida are also experiencing similar threats.
• 📢 Judges are calling for the public to take a stand to protect the independent judiciary from these growing dangers.