- Pro-choice protests have been demonstrated outside, the Supreme court Justice's house, since May.
- SCOTUS Marshal wrote to Maryland and Virginia governors to enforce state and local anti-protest laws.
- The letter stated concerns for justice's life, citing an arrest of an armed man outside Kavanaugh's house in June.
The Supreme Court Marshal asked Maryland and Virginia officials to enforce state and county laws that prohibit picketing outside the homes of Supreme Court justices, according to a letter obtained by CNN and NBC.
Col. Gail Curley, the Supreme Court Marshal, sent letters to Governors Larry Hogan of Maryland and Glenn Youngkin of Virginia on Friday, addressing concerns over a week-long protest that has taken place outside justice's homes.
Pro-Choice protestors have been outside justice's homes since May when the draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked. The extended protests outside Justice's homes have concerned many officials over the safety of Supreme Court justices amid the decision to overturn Roe. Curley urged the governors to direct police to enforce their anti-picketing laws.
"Since then, protest activity at justices' homes, as well as threatening activity, has only increased," Curley said in the letter to Hogan, according to NBC. The letter noted large groups using bullhorns and banging on drums. "This is exactly the kind of conduct that Maryland and Montgomery County laws prohibit."
In a separate letter to Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, she pointed to a Maryland law, which states a "person may not intentionally assemble with another in a manner that disrupts a person's right to tranquility in the person's home" and that law "provides for imprisonment for up to 90 days or a $100 fine."
The letter to Elrich, also cited a Montgomery County law, which states a "person or group of persons must not picket in front of or adjacent to any private residence."
Curley, who is investigating the draft opinion leak, noted in the letter an incident near Justice Brett Kavanaugh's house in Maryland in June, where an armed man was arrested with the "intent to kill Kavanaugh." In light of the arrest, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell demanded strengthening security for the justices.
"You recently stated that you were 'deeply concerned' that 'hundreds of demonstrators have recently chosen to picket Supreme Court Justices at their homes in ... Maryland," Curley wrote in the letter addressed to Hogan, according to CNN. "Since then, protest activity at the Justices' homes, as well as threatening activity, has only increased."
Along with Kavanaugh, Justices John Roberts and Alito live in Maryland. Justice Amy Coney Barret lives in Virginia.
In response to the letter, Hogan's communications director, Micheal Ricci, said: "Had the Marshal taken time to explore the matter she would have learned that the constitutionality of the statute cited in her letter has been questioned by the Maryland Attorney General's officials."
Curley sent a similar letter to Virginia, citing a similar statute, according to Politico.
According to CNN, Youngkin's spokesperson said the governor "welcomes the Marshal of the Supreme Court's request for Fairfax County to enforce state law as they are the primary enforcement authority for the state statute."