Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall called for federal law enforcement to act on protests outside U.S. Supreme Court justices' homes during an appearance on Alabama Public Television's "Capitol Journal" on Friday.
Marshall has been subject to protests near his home for exercising his powers of prosecutorial discretion. After Marshall deemed a Hoover Police Officer justified in a Thanksgiving 2018 shooting of Emantic "E.J." Bradford Jr., and therefore opted not to charge that officer, protesters showed up at his home.
Although Marshall downplayed the protests at his home, he said the protests outside the justices' homes should not be taken lightly.
He told "Capitol Journal" host Todd Stacy the Biden Justice Department was not enforcing federal law despite having the technological abilities to do so. He also noted that if the FBI could investigate parents protesting at school board meetings, that agency could act to ensure the safety of the justices on the high court.
"[W]hen we look at what has taken place with this arrest in D.C., it should be incredibly disturbing to everybody because number one, Merrick Garland could have put his fingerprint directly on this by enforcing the law that exists," Marshall said. "And we've already shown through the technology that the FBI has used in investigating those who were at the Capitol on January 6. We can figure out who was there to intimidate justices as a result of the leak of the opinion that's coming out in the Mississippi case relating to Roe. v. Wade. There could be people arrested for violating federal law.
"They've not chosen to do it. In fact, now they need to be able to understand it is important to go back and see what took place and are very strong in their efforts there. I mean, if they can send FBI agents to talk to parents that are showing up at school boards, we can do our job on those that are trying to intimidate Supreme Court justices and now potentially take their life."
Marshall said the Biden administration should go even farther.
"But the other thing is that now maybe we can see an administration that now can condemn those protests themselves, to condemn these potential situations of violence and to allow for these justices to be able to make decisions free from those who are showing up at their home," Marshall said. "We have a right to protest in this country, but yet that right to protest is still limited by reasonable restrictions that could be placed by governmental authorities, and this is one -- it's been criminalized at the federal level, and we need to make sure the federal government is enforcing the law."
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email jeff.poor@1819News.com.
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