Interim DC US Attorney Opens Preliminary Investigation Into Senators Comments
The weight of words spoken by powerful figures has long been a matter of debate, but rarely does it lead to a formal inquiry. That may be changing as interim D.C. U.S. Attorney Ed Martin has now opened a preliminary investigation into Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer over remarks he made in 2020—remarks that many interpreted as a threat against two sitting Supreme Court justices.
Standing on the steps of the highest court in the land, Schumer directed pointed warnings at Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, declaring that they would “pay a price” if they ruled against abortion rights. His fiery speech came as the Court was considering cases that would eventually lead to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a ruling that reshaped the national debate on abortion in 2022. “You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price,” Schumer said, his voice rising with intensity. “You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”
The reaction was swift. Conservatives and legal experts alike decried Schumer’s words as dangerously irresponsible, especially considering the heightened political tensions of the time. Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rare public rebuke, calling Schumer’s rhetoric both inappropriate and threatening. Yet, Schumer, from the Senate floor, sought to downplay the firestorm.
He insisted he wasn’t issuing a threat and pivoted to blaming conservatives for seizing on his remarks to “generate outrage.” It was a familiar pattern—escalation followed by deflection. An ethics complaint was filed against him, but like many similar cases in Washington, it faded into obscurity.
Now, years later, the matter has resurfaced. A January 21 letter obtained by the Washington Post reveals that Ed Martin is taking the issue seriously. “We take threats against public officials very seriously,” Martin wrote to Schumer, signaling that an inquiry into the 2020 comments is underway. Whether this will result in any formal charges remains to be seen, but the decision to investigate a sitting Senate leader—especially a Democrat—underscores a shift in Washington’s legal landscape.
Schumer, of course, has a history of issuing loaded statements, especially when it comes to his political adversaries. During the early days of the Trump presidency, as the Russian collusion narrative was being spun into a full-blown investigation, Schumer made an ominous remark about the intelligence community.
“Let me tell you, you take on the intelligence community, they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you,” he told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, suggesting that the deep state was not only real but actively working against Trump.
This latest inquiry into Schumer’s comments comes to light in the midst of a broader shake-up within the Department of Justice. In a memorandum issued Friday, acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove ordered the removal of numerous prosecutors tied to politically charged cases against Trump and his allies.
Bove’s directive was clear: “Subversive” actors would not be allowed to derail the work of U.S. attorneys. Meanwhile, Martin followed up with an email instructing personnel to preserve all records relating to attorneys hired for the January 6 investigations, citing President Trump’s commitment to ending government weaponization.