AZ Rep. Andy Biggs Introduces Resolution to Condemn Schumer Over Threatening SCOTUS Comments

Chuck Schumer is the minority leader in the Senate.

While debate is a healthy part of the political discource, threatening violence is rhetoric that should never be tolerated, especially when its towards members of the judiciary.

To make matters worse, Schumer doubled-down on his comments before issuing a non-apology apology. He then claimed that Republicans were creating a controversy out of nothing.

Biggs' move is an effort to keep our political leaders in check and to make sure that civil servants to do not incite violence.

The Hill has more on Biggs' resolution:

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) introduced a resolution on Thursday to formally condemn Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) over his remarks that two Supreme Court justices would “pay the price” for their decisions on an abortion rights case.

Schumer’s comments, made during a rally outside the Supreme Court on Wednesday before justices heard arguments over a Louisiana abortion law, sparked outrage from Republicans, who called the remarks a threat.

“Minority Leader Schumer is the leader of his conference, and, while he may offer public criticism about decisions with which he disagrees, he should not use rhetoric that is threatening and intimidating towards members of our independent judiciary,” Biggs said in a statement to The Hill.  

“Even after he was called out by many of his own colleagues and the Chief Justice, Leader Schumer would not apologize for his threats. I am introducing this resolution today to send a message that this threatening rhetoric has no place in the U.S. Congress — especially from a leader of one of our parties. I hope my colleagues will join me on this resolution.”

The resolution argues Schumer should be held to a higher standard due to his position in leadership and says the comments are in “direct conflict with the Constitutional process by which cases are deliberated and verdicts are issued by the U.S. Supreme Court” and “do not contribute anything positive to the public dialogue.”

The resolution also calls on Schumer to issue a formal apology to the Supreme Court Justices and to issue a public statement denouncing violence against any of the three branches of government.

Schumer's comments have set off a political firestorm.

In the past, political leaders have been stripped of their titles for controversial remarks.

Just last year in 2019, Iowa Congressman Steven King was removed from his committee after making conservatial comments in regards to white supremacy.

Now, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is openly wondering why Schumer should be allowed to continue to hold his title as Senate minority leader.

Fox News has more on McCarthy's comments:

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., wondered aloud why Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York continues to hold the title of Senate minority leader.

McCarthy said Schumer's threats against two Trump-appointed Supreme Court justices – Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch – were reprehensible. He told Ed Henry on "America's Newsroom" that if a Republican made similar comments and threats, they would be stripped of their leadership role.

"This is the person elected to lead them inside the Senate going to the Supreme Court and trying to intimidate them," he said.

"In America, we believe in the exchange of ideas. He wants to intimidate them because he doesn't agree with their ideas. That's wrong. [The] question to me is why do Democrats keep him as a leader?"

Schumer claimed the two jurists unleashed a "whirlwind" and that they soon would "not know what hit" them if they ruled against abortion rights.

It is not unprecedented to have a Republican leader stripped of leadership positions if he or she breaks the decorum of the office. In 2019, McCarthy and his caucus removed Iowa Congressman Steve King from his committee assignments after King made controversial remarks about white supremacy.

"We will not tolerate this type of language in the Republican Party ... or in the Democratic Party as well," McCarthy told reporters then. "I watched what Steve King said and we took action."

We will keep you updated as this story unfolds.

Below, you can watch McConnell and Schumer trading barbs after Schumer's alarming comments towards Justice Kavanaugh and Justice Gorsuch.