{"id":1474199,"date":"2022-05-13T10:29:37","date_gmt":"2022-05-13T14:29:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1474199"},"modified":"2022-05-13T10:29:44","modified_gmt":"2022-05-13T14:29:44","slug":"virginias-gop-leaders-are-refusing-to-enforce-the-law-against-leftists-harassing-scotus-justices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virginias-gop-leaders-are-refusing-to-enforce-the-law-against-leftists-harassing-scotus-justices\/","title":{"rendered":"Virginia\u2019s GOP Leaders Are Refusing To Enforce The Law Against Leftists Harassing SCOTUS Justices"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fvirginias-gop-leaders-are-refusing-to-enforce-the-law-against-leftists-harassing-scotus-justices%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1474199&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/West_End_Islamic_Center_Richmond_-_5_2_52045829133.jpg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" alt=\"image\" \/><\/div>\n<p>Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares are refusing to enforce state law against leftist protesters who have been demonstrating outside the homes of several U.S. Supreme Court justices in the Commonwealth.<\/p>\n<p>Following the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2022\/05\/02\/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-00029473\">leak<\/a> of a draft majority opinion from the high court that would overturn <em>Roe v. Wade<\/em>, pro-abortion protesters have been showing up at the homes of Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices in recent weeks in an attempt to intimidate members of the court into upholding the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide. <\/p>\n<p>On Wednesday, several demonstrators who were dressed up as characters from \u201cThe Handmaid\u2019s Tale\u201d marched outside the Virginia home of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, with one participant <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/justice-barrett-mom-5-doesnt-know-full-term-pregnancy-handmaid-protester\">saying<\/a> that \u201cthe fact that [Barrett is] an adoptive mother is influencing her inability to see what it\u2019s like to carry a pregnancy to term,\u201d despite the justice having birthed five biological children.<\/p>\n<p>Pro-abortion leftists also surrounded the Virginia residence of <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/05\/10\/abortion-rights-activists-hold-protest-outside-of-justice-samuel-alitos-home\/\">Justice Samuel Alito<\/a> on Monday, as well as the Maryland homes of Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/05\/08\/abortion-rights-protests-form-outside-scotus-justices-homes\/\">over the past weekend<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the intimidation tactics, Youngkin, along with Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, sent a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GovLarryHogan\/status\/1524494786031280128?s=20&#038;t=lvzgO7gDkL74ISk2l-RLhg\">letter<\/a> to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, in which the Republican governors called upon the Department of Justice to prosecute demonstrators for violating federal law.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile we are willing to assist in the event the need for increased security measures becomes imminent, federal law enforcement entities must take the lead and provide sustained resources to protect the Justices and ensure these residential areas are secure in the weeks and months ahead,\u201d the letter reads. \u201cToday, we together ask that the Department of Justice through the respective United States Attorneys\u2019 offices provide appropriate resources to safeguard the Justices and enforce the law as it is written.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the letter, Youngkin and Hogan cite <a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/uscode\/text\/18\/1507\">18 U.S. Code \u00a7 1507<\/a>, which explicitly states that \u201c[w]hoever, with the intent of interfering with, obstructing, or impeding the administration of justice, or with the intent of influencing any judge, juror, witness, or court officer, in the discharge of his duty, pickets or parades in or near a building housing a court of the United States, or in or near a building or residence occupied or used by such judge, juror, witness, or court officer, or with such intent uses any sound-truck or similar device or resorts to any other demonstration in or near any such building or residence, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In addition, Youngkin has also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2022\/05\/11\/gov-glenn-youngkin-requests-local-police-establish-expanded-security-perimeter-around-scotus-justices-homes\/\">requested<\/a> that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors order the county\u2019s police department to \u201cestablish an expanded security perimeter\u201d around the justices\u2019 homes.<\/p>\n<p>While such rhetoric may seem meaningful, Youngkin, along with Miyares, is simultaneously refusing to enforce Virginia state law that would hold demonstrators accountable for their illegal actions. As detailed in <a href=\"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/title18.2\/chapter9\/section18.2-419\/\">\u00a7 18.2-419<\/a> of the Virginia Code, \u201cAny person who shall engage in picketing before or about the residence or dwelling place of any individual, or who shall assemble with another person or persons in a manner which disrupts or threatens to disrupt any individual\u2019s right to tranquility in his home, shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor,\u201d which <a href=\"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacodefull\/title18.2\/chapter1\/article3\/\">constitutes<\/a> as \u201ca fine of not more than $500.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When asked if Miyares intends to pursue charges against violators under the statute, a representative for the attorney general told The Federalist that \u201c[u]nder Virginia law, local Commonwealth\u2019s Attorneys are responsible for prosecuting violations of [the] statute.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAttorney General Miyares urges every Commonwealth\u2019s Attorney to put their personal politics aside and enforce the law,\u201d said spokeswoman Victoria LaCivita.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout the 2021 Virginia election cycle and beyond, Miyares has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/news\/2021\/aug\/31\/jason-miyares-running-tough-crime-attorney-general\/\">routinely cast himself<\/a> as a \u201claw and order\u201d figure willing to be tough on crime. In a December <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/op-eds\/jason-miyares-if-your-local-virginia-prosecutor-wont-enforce-the-law-i-will\">op-ed<\/a> for the Washington Examiner, for instance, Miyares pledged that if Virginians\u2019 local prosecutor wouldn\u2019t enforce the law, he would.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen an elected commonwealth\u2019s attorney publicly states that he will not prosecute a crime, citizens should have a backup plan to ensure that victims get their day in court,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n<p>LaCivita did not respond to The Federalist\u2019s follow-up inquiry as to whether Miyares would take legal action if the local Commonwealth\u2019s Attorney refuses to hold violators of the statute accountable.<\/p>\n<p>When similarly pressed on the lack of action from Youngkin on enforcement of \u00a7 18.2-419, Youngkin told The Federalist that the statute is \u201cbarely more punitive than a parking ticket.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe federal statute is absolutely clear that parading and picketing in order to influence a justice is punishable with up to a year in prison,\u201d he said in reference to 18 U.S. Code \u00a7 1507. \u201cThis is a time where local law enforcement, state law enforcement, and federal law enforcement need to collaborate and come together in order to make sure that we are upholding the law and keeping people safe.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n<p>\n  Shawn Fleetwood is an intern at The Federalist and a senior at the University of Mary Washington. He also serves as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares are refusing to enforce state law against leftist protesters who have been demonstrating outside the homes of several U.S. Supreme Court<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1474199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1474199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1474199"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1474199\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1474199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1474199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1474199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}