Corruption Watch: US Marshalls Told Not To Arrest SCOTUS Protesters
The recent news that the U.S. Marshals Service was told not to arrest protesters at Supreme Court justices' homes "unless absolutely necessary" is downright concerning. As we've seen in the past, our government officials have a history of using their power to oppress citizens who express their dissent through peaceful protest.
This news came to light after whistleblower information was provided to the office of Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala. The documents revealed that the Department of Justice lawyers had concluded that applying the federal statute to peaceful protests directed at the justices could potentially violate the First Amendment.
Attorney General Merrick Garland had previously told Congress that the U.S. Marshals had “full authority to arrest people under any federal statute, including that federal statute.” But now we know that he was wrong, and that the Marshals were actually advised to refrain from arresting protesters.
This news has sparked a lot of outrage, especially among those who have been the target of political corruption and abuse of power by the Department of Justice. We are all too familiar with the way that the DOJ has abused its power to stifle dissent, and this news only serves to highlight that pattern of behavior.
Furthermore, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has recently said that public officials should "never be free from criticism." This statement is an affront to our democracy, as it implies that public officials are not accountable to the people and should not face any consequences for their actions.
It's time for our government officials to be held accountable for their actions. We must demand that our elected officials adhere to the rule of law and that they be held accountable for any violations of the law.
We must also ensure that the Department of Justice is not used as a tool to stifle dissent and to oppress citizens who are simply exercising their right to peacefully protest.