Chief Justice John Roberts issues a rare rebuke at Democrats' 'dangerous' and 'threatening statements'

• US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued a statement rebuking Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's remarks against members of the court.
• At a pro-choice rally in front of the Supreme Court, Schumer referenced Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch.
• "I want to tell you, Gorsuch, I want to tell you, Kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price," Schumer said, amid cheers from the crowd. "You won't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions."
• "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 said in a statement.
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US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued a statement rebuking Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer's remarks against members of the court during an pro-choice rally on Wednesday.

Speaking to a crowd in front of the Supreme Court, Schumer described a nearby, opposing rally as "the bad guys" and referenced Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, two members of the conservative majority on the Supreme Court.

At the time, the justices were presented with an oral argument asking whether doctors at abortion clinics in Louisiana would be able to have local hospital admitting privileges. Chief Justice Roberts is expected to be the swing vote in conservative-majority panel.

"I want to tell you, Gorsuch, I want to tell you, Kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price," Schumer said, amid cheers from the crowd. "You won't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions."

"We will tell President Trump and Senate Republicans, who have stacked the court with right-wing ideologues," Schumer added. "That you will be gone in November, and you'll never be able to do this again."

Roberts issued a rare rebuke and in a statement addressed Schumer's remarks.

"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 said. "All Members of the Court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter."

A spokesman for Schumer responded saying in part, "For Justice Roberts to follow the right wing's deliberate misinterpretation of what Sen. Schumer said, while remaining silent when President Trump attacked Justices Sotomayor and Ginsberg last week, shows Justice Roberts does not just call balls and strikes."