Ann Coulter recently broke the law. She joked about murdering a Supreme Court Justice, in order to get more conservative Supreme Court justices on the bench. This time, she was referring to 85 year old justice John Paul Stevens, who is known to lean liberal in his decisions. "We need somebody to put rat poisoning in Justice Stevens' creme brulee," Coulter said. "That's just a joke, for you in the media."
In the United States of America it is illegal to make a threat to a Supreme Court Justice, even if the person intended it to be a joke.
Now, before you suggest that only Ann Coulter is crazy and sleazy enough to say something like this, do not forget that Republican Senator from Texas, John Cornyn said something similar in April of 2005 in response to the Shiavo case:
I don't know if there is a cause-and-effect connection, but we have seen some recent episodes of courthouse violence in this country -and I wonder whether there may be some connection between the perception in some quarters, on some occasions, where judges are making political decisions yet are unaccountable to the public, that it builds up and builds up and builds up to the point where some people engage in, engage in violence.
In Virginia, we have had trouble with this type of language as well, as when Pat Robertson publicly prayed for the death of Supreme Court justices in order to open vacancies on the court. Chief Justice William Rehnquist died later that year.
Will President Bush condemn Ann Coulter's remarks, which he failed to do for the remarks made by Senator Cornyn and Pat Robertson? Will Ann Coulter face any legal recourse for suggesting we murder a Supreme Court justice that was "too liberal"? I doubt it.
But we shouldn't take these things lightly, because they represent dangerous arrogance by the Republican Party that reflects their "no consequences for your actions" attitude that has plagued our country for the past 5 years. Now, I don't like the decisions of Justices Antonin Scalia or Clarence Thomas, and I don't like the prospect of Samuel Alito once he is confirmed, but I don't presume to joke about murdering them, nor should anyone have such low class as to suggest such a thing as murder or violence towards a member of the bench. The fact that such statements are made reflects the real intentions and beliefs of these people who are so intolerant of people who disagree with them, that they presume to joke about killing them. Murder is a serious crime, and even though emotions run high in politics, once you joke about killing your opponents, you have crossed the line.
And there was some shady stuff going on, whitewater, vince foster, etc. But he wasn't charged on that.
I'd be willing to bet money he says nothing about this.
Mark Warner / Blanche Lincoln 2008!!!