A federal statute says it is illegal to picket or parade outside a judge’s home “with the intent of influencing any judge.” The Washington Post’s Aaron Blake talked to legal experts who say the statute is likely constitutional and applies to peaceful protests outside the homes of Supreme Court justices.
On Tuesday, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said he was comfortable with the protests so long as they’re peaceful, but on Wednesday Senate Democratic whip Dick Durbin went on CNN to call the protests “reprehensible.” Does Durbin think they’re illegal? “I’ve never heard of that [law],” he told me in the Capitol on Wednesday. Democratic senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said of the federal statute prohibiting protests outside of judges’ homes: “First time I heard about it was yesterday. So it’s on my list to research.”