Schumer and chief justice in war of words

Sen. Chuck Schumer got a public rebuke from the nation’s top judge on Wednesday over “threatening statements” he made against two of the court’s conservative justices at a pro-choice protest.

Through a spokesman, Schumer accused Chief Justice John Roberts of deliberately picking up on “right-wing misinterpretation” of his comments outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday morning.

But Roberts cast Schumer’s words as a threat against Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, who were nominated by President Trump and confirmed by the Republican-led Senate.

“Sen. Schumer referred to two members of the court by name and said he wanted to tell them that ‘You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You will not know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions,’ ” Roberts said in a rare public statement.

“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.

“All members of the court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter.”

Schumer made the comments as the justices heard arguments about a Louisiana law that requires doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at local hospitals.

Pro-choice advocates say if the justices rule in favor of the law, abortions will effectively be outlawed in the state.

Schumer’s office said that his comments “were a reference to the political price Senate Republicans will pay for putting these justices on the court, and a warning the justices will unleash a major grassroots movement on the issue of reproductive rights against the decision.”