Jefferson Reporter

U.S. Senator Katie Britt has requested that the Department of Justice (DOJ) maintain records related to the protection of Supreme Court Justices. This request follows concerns over the DOJ's failure to enforce federal law at the homes of Justices after the leak of a draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

Senator Britt highlighted that, "In March 2023, I brought to your attention evidence that DOJ had actively discouraged the U.S. Marshals Service from enforcing the provisions 18 U.S.C. §1507 . . . at the homes of Supreme Court Justices in the aftermath of the leak of the Dobbs opinion." She further noted that her letter sent on May 3, 2023, was ignored for almost a year before she raised it again during an April 2024 hearing.

Britt urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to take steps to prevent destruction of documents and communications relevant to her inquiry, stating, "As such, and as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee which has oversight jurisdiction of the Department of Justice and its component agencies, I request that you take all reasonable steps to prevent the destruction of all documents, communications, and other information, including electronic information that may be responsive to my original inquiry . . . "

Following a leak on May 2, 2022, protests occurred outside Justices' homes with addresses posted online. Federal law under 18 U.S.C. §1507 prohibits such actions aimed at influencing judicial decisions. During a Senate Judiciary Committee session on March 1, 2023, Attorney General Garland confirmed no protestors were charged for violating this statute.

Garland attributed this lack of charges to U.S. Marshals Service deputies not making arrests under Section 1507 despite having full authority to do so. Senator Britt later unveiled training slides indicating USMS personnel were discouraged from making such arrests.

In response to these events, Senator Britt collaborated with Senator Marsha Blackburn and others in May 2023 to introduce legislation aimed at increasing protections for Supreme Court Justices by extending imprisonment terms for unlawful influence attempts from one year to five years.

Despite ongoing inquiries and a delayed response from DOJ following a subcommittee hearing in April 2024, Britt remains firm in seeking answers regarding orders contradicting sworn testimonies by Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco before Congress.