Political threats are getting out of hand. Even the High Court Justices are unsafe.
Because a U.S. Supreme Court Justice was threatened in a shocking assassination attempt.
Pipe Bomb Threat Targets Supreme Court Justice’s Sister in South Carolina
A disturbing incident unfolded over the weekend in Charleston, South Carolina, when local police received reports of a bomb threat directed at Amanda Coney Williams, the sister of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. According to the Charleston Police Department, the menacing message arrived in the form of a politically charged email sent to an employee at the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office late Saturday night.
The email, which surfaced in a police report obtained by USA TODAY, contained a chilling claim from an unnamed sender: a pipe bomb had been planted in Williams’ mailbox, rigged to explode upon opening. The message was timestamped just before 11 p.m. on Saturday, though Williams herself never received it directly, police confirmed.
The sender described the alleged device in meticulous detail, writing, “a 1×8-inch threaded galvanized pipe, end caps, a kitchen timer, some wires, metal clips and homemade black powder.” The email continued with a stark warning: “I’ve constructed a pipe bomb which I recently placed in Amy Coney Barrett’s sister’s mailbox at her home at (redacted) Charleston, SC. The device`s detonation will be triggered as soon as the mailbox is next opened. Free Palestine!”
Law enforcement acted swiftly to investigate the threat. After a thorough examination, officials determined it was a false alarm, as stated in the police report. No explosive device was found, and Williams and her family were unharmed. Despite the hoax, the incident has left authorities on edge, and an investigation remains active with no arrests reported as of yet.
Adding a layer of intrigue to the case, Williams’ husband, David, spoke with police about the incident. According to the report, he expressed bewilderment about the email’s origin, telling officers he had no idea who might be behind it. However, he did point to a possible lead: a pizza delivery to their home on Saturday evening. David speculated that the delivery person could somehow be linked to the sender, though he offered no concrete evidence to support this theory.
The mention of pizza deliveries has raised eyebrows among investigators, particularly in light of recent reports about federal judges being targeted with similar tactics. Just last week, Reuters noted that unsolicited pizza deliveries have been sent to the homes of judges across the country, a gesture believed to be a form of intimidation. Whether this incident in Charleston connects to that pattern remains unclear, but authorities are taking the possibility seriously.
While the bomb threat against Amanda Coney Williams turned out to be baseless, the episode has sparked concern among law enforcement and the public alike. The Charleston Police Department continues to probe the matter, working to identify the individual responsible for the menacing email. For now, the motive—beyond the cryptic “Free Palestine!” sign-off—remains a mystery, as does the identity of the sender.
Recent Threats Against Supreme Court Justices
In recent years, Supreme Court Justices and their families have increasingly found themselves in the crosshairs of threats and intimidation, a troubling trend that has escalated amid polarized political debates and controversial court rulings. From bomb threats to assassination plots, these incidents reveal the growing risks faced by those serving on the nation’s highest court. Below are some of the most notable examples from the past few years, drawing attention to the challenges of maintaining judicial safety in an era of heightened unrest.
In September 2024, a more sweeping threat emerged when Panos Anastasiou, a 76-year-old resident of Anchorage, Alaska, was arrested for allegedly targeting six Supreme Court Justices and their families. Federal prosecutors charged Anastasiou with sending over 465 threatening messages through the Supreme Court’s public website between March 2023 and July 2024. The messages, described as violent, racist, and homophobic, included graphic threats of torture and assassination. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that Anastasiou’s actions were retaliatory, driven by anger over court decisions he opposed, notably the July 2024 ruling granting former President Donald Trump substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts.
Though the indictment did not name the specific justices, the court’s 6-3 conservative majority suggests the targets aligned with its Republican-appointed members. Anastasiou’s threats escalated after an FBI visit in 2023, with messages calling for the assassination of two justices to allow Democratic appointments. He pleaded not guilty to 22 charges, including nine counts of threatening a federal judge, each carrying a potential 10-year sentence. The case remains ongoing, illustrating the persistent danger posed by individuals willing to act on their grievances against the judiciary.
The Attempted Assassination of Brett Kavanaugh
Perhaps the most alarming incident occurred in June 2022, when Nicholas John Roske, a 26-year-old from Simi Valley, California, was arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s Maryland home. Armed with a gun, a knife, and burglary tools, Roske allegedly intended to kill Kavanaugh and then himself. According to a federal affidavit, he was motivated by frustration over a leaked draft opinion signaling the court’s intent to overturn *Roe v. Wade*, as well as the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting, believing Kavanaugh would support loosening gun laws. Roske called authorities to report his suicidal thoughts and plans, leading to his arrest around 1:50 a.m. after he was spotted near Kavanaugh’s residence.
Roske pleaded not guilty to attempted murder charges and remains in custody as his case progresses. The incident prompted Attorney General Garland to bolster security for justices, with the U.S. Marshals Service providing round-the-clock protection. It also fueled legislative efforts, including a bill passed by the House to extend security to justices’ families, though broader protections for federal judges remain stalled in Congress.
These incidents are not isolated but part of a documented surge in threats against federal judges. The U.S. Marshals Service reported that serious threats against federal judges more than doubled from 220 in 2020 to 457 in 2023. Chief Justice John Roberts, in his December 2024 year-end report, warned of the rising dangers, noting over 1,000 serious threats against federal judges in the past five years. He cited examples of judges being issued bulletproof vests and the risks of disinformation amplifying hostility toward the judiciary.
The Supreme Court has responded by requesting $19.4 million in its 2025 budget to enhance security, including 33 new positions for the Supreme Court Police to assume full-time protection of justices’ residences from the Marshals Service.
The Federalist Wire will update you on any major updates from this ongoing investigation.
