One day after telling Fox News anchor Dana Perino that seeing Supreme Court justices and their families being harassed by mobs of left-wing protesters at their homes makes her “want to cry,” federal judge Esther Salas appeared on ABC’s Good Morning AmericaWe will be reiterating that sentiment Wednesday and requesting Congress to pass legislation protecting the judiciary. Nearly two years have passed since the murder of her son and severe injuries to her husband in an attack on their family home. Judge Salas will be appearing.
“Fight for protection. Judge Esther Salas’s crusade to make sure the tragedy that struck her family does not happen again. How the battle has reached Washington,”Robin Roberts was announced as co-host at the top on the 8:00 AM. ET hour. Minutes later, the anchor introduced the segment: “We’re gonna turn now to Judge Esther Salas and her fight to protect the privacy of judges and their families. The man who shot Daniel their son killed Daniel almost two years earlier. The shooter went there intending to kill Judge Salas.”
Roberts mentioned the following during an audio report that was taped before speaking live to Judge Salas: “Now as protests erupt outside Supreme Court justices’ homes in response to the Roe vs. Wade leaked draft, Judge Salas urging support for a new bill that aims to protect the Judges’ families.”
Roberts referenced how Salas “first advocated for Daniel’s Law, named after your son, of course, which has passed in New Jersey, in your state, but it still means federal judges everywhere else, and their families, are not protected.” She then noted: “The House will vote today, as you know, on a similar bill, but it will only protect Supreme Court justices.”
“The law that’s presently before the House will cover the Supreme Court justices only that it will allow the marshals to protect their immediate family. It does not address the personally identifiable information,”She was warned by the judge. The judge warned her. “The information that got leaked and now, you know, everyone is going to residences and protesting…. Our personally identifiable data is still out there. We need to fix that. We need to seal that.”
Pleading for the passage of Daniel’s Law, Salas proclaimed:
All of us are at the forefront here.The federal lower courts, as well as the justices are at the forefront of protecting democracy in the country. We must ensure that all federal judges are respected. That is what the law requires. We must protect the judiciary because of what this country stands for and our values.
She reiterated: “The irony, Robin, the irony is that if this law would have passed, the Justices’ addresses would have been sealed a long time ago.”
Salas pressed Congress to take action to ensure the safety of federal judges and their families, citing her own family’s tragic loss:
To my knowledge there is nothing controversial about protecting judges’ home addresses and our Social Security numbers. And yet, it’s not passing and I think the American public needs to start asking, why are our leaders not passing this law?…We should be ready! Yet another tragedy?
That’s what Mark and me are doing. We don’t want anyone to do. No one can be our wish. It’s very difficult. Daniel is my first thought when I wake up in the morning. I am a constant thinker about him throughout my entire life. You know what, you are right. You need to be able to do your job without fear.This is what judges want.
Unfortunately, broadcast media networks such as ABC have failed to recognize the high stakes of reporting on pro-abortion radicals who show up at the homes and offices of Supreme Court justices in order to intimidate or threaten them. Minimum Good Morning AmericaJudge Salas received a platform from which to warn about the terrible consequences of such harassment.
The May 11, 2012 segment is available as a transcript:
9:00 AM ET
ROBIN ROBERTS: Fighting for your protection. Judge Esther Salas’s crusade to make sure the tragedy that struck her family does not happen again. Washington is now the scene of battle. Only on April 8, Judge Salas will join us. GMA.
(…)
8:30 AM ET
ROBERTS: We’re gonna turn now to Judge Esther Salas and her fight to protect the privacy of judges and their families. Nearly two years ago, a man attacked her family’s home and shot Daniel. Judge Salas was his target.
(…)
8:14 AM ET
ROBERTS: Judge Salas tirelessly advocating the passing of Daniel’s Law in the state of New Jersey, which we discussed last year.
JUDGE ESTHER SALAS: What we’re asking is that we protect our personal information, our home addresses, our Social Security numbers. In my case, this is exactly what the shooter did and used those details to attack us.
ROBERTS: Now as protests erupt outside Supreme Court justices’ homes in response to the Roe vs. Wade leaked draft, Judge Salas urging support for a new bill that aims to protect the Judges’ families.
Judge Salas is joining us live, this morning. It’s always, always a privilege to be in your presence, Judge Salas. And you first advocated for Daniel’s Law, named after your son, of course, which has passed in New Jersey, in your state, but it still means federal judges everywhere else, and their families, are not protected. Today’s House vote will be on a comparable bill. But it will not protect Supreme Court justices. Please tell us why this bill should be taken further.
SALAS: Robin, it’s good to be with you this morning. The law that’s presently before the House will cover the Supreme Court justices only that it will allow the marshals to protect their immediate family. However, it does not include any personally identifiable information. This information was released and people are protesting at residences. It is still an issue that judges, justices, and judges all have to deal with. It is not difficult to find our personally identifiable information. This information needs to be secured. This must be sealed.
Daniel has been now – we’re headed to 22 months, the 19th of this month, where my son was killed in our foyer. That information was taken by the lawyer and litigant and they stalked us. All of us are at the forefront here. The frontline to preserve democracy in the country is not just the justices. We must ensure that all federal judges are respected. That is what the rule of laws requires. We must protect the judiciary because of what this country stands for and our mission.
ROBERTS: And where do we stand right now with Daniel’s Law, Judge Salas? What’s next?
SALAS: The matter is still in flux. It’s been before the Senate and the House for months now. Since then, we have advocated for passage. The irony, Robin, the irony is that if this law would have passed, the Justices’ addresses would have been sealed a long time ago. That’s the irony.
But we’re in limbo and I think we have to start asking ourselves why are our leaders not passing this law? They are not moving this law. To my knowledge there is nothing controversial about protecting judges’ home addresses and our Social Security numbers. And yet, it’s not passing and I think the American public needs to start asking, why are our leaders not passing this law?
I think we saw a little bit of that when it originally didn’t pass in December. Members of Congress might also want protections, I believe. That is something I can understand. The Daniel Anderl Judicial Privacy and Security Act is ready to go. It’s been ready to go for months. It’s narrowly tailored to address this immediate interest, this governmental interest that is vital to democracy.
Let’s pass this bill and let members of Congress do what they need to do to protect themselves as well. However, I’m just saying: Why aren’t we doing something? Waiting for what? Yet another tragedy?
That’s what Mark and me are doing. We don’t want anyone to do. No one can be our wish. It’s very difficult. Daniel is my first thought when I wake up in the morning. I am a constant thinker about him throughout my entire life. You know what, you are right. You need to feel confident that you can perform your job safely and without fear of reprisal, retaliation, or even death. Judges are looking for that.
(…)
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