We were promised violence after Supreme Court leak. They weren’t kidding
Becket Adams, Washington Examiner, 6/10/22
Law enforcement officials arrested and charged a man last week with the “attempted murder” of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
The man, Nicholas John Roske of California, had in his possession at the time of his arrest a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, pepper spray, zip ties, a hammer, a screwdriver, a nail punch, a crowbar, a pistol light, duct tape, and hiking boots with padding on the outside of the soles, according to the FBI.
Roske, who was arrested near Kavanaugh’s home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, told police he was upset about the leaked draft Supreme Court majority opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, according to an FBI affidavit.
“Roske stated that he began thinking about how to give his life a purpose and decided that he would kill the Supreme Court Justice after finding the Justice’s Montgomery County address on the Internet,” the affidavit said. “Roske further indicated that he had purchased the Glock pistol and the other items for the purpose of breaking into the Justice’s residence and killing the Justice as well as himself.”
This assassination attempt was not a spur-of-the-moment crime of passion. Roske traveled all the way from California. He came to Kavanaugh’s home well equipped with burglary gear. But if you think this story is horrifying, it’s actually worse than you think. The assassination attempt is part of a growing string of acts of violence, intimidation, and domestic terrorism targeting pro-life groups and conservative public figures following the Supreme Court leak.
These aren’t random, isolated events. They are part of a well-established pattern, a seemingly coordinated campaign by presumably left-wing agitators who are as intent on causing harm and violence as they say they are.
A crisis pregnancy center in Asheville, North Carolina, for example, was vandalized on June 7. The building was splashed with red paint, the windows were smashed, and the vandals spray-painted a message on the building that read, “If abortions aren’t safe, neither are you!”
On June 6, a Christian pregnancy center in Buffalo, New York, was firebombed. The office was destroyed. The attackers left a message scrawled near the building. It read, “If abortions aren’t safe, then you aren’t either.”
On June 3, a pregnancy crisis center in Washington, D.C., was vandalized. The front door was splashed with red paint and a message reading “Jane Says Revenge” was spray-painted on the side of the building — “Jane” presumably being a reference to the “Jane Roe” in Roe v. Wade. For context, the Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center is a faith-based nonprofit organization. It does not refer or perform abortions.
On May 27, a crisis pregnancy center in Lynnwood, Washington, was vandalized. The attackers spray-painted the message: “If abortion isn’t safe, you aren’t either.”
On around May 20, a pro-life billboard in Portland, Oregon, was defaced with pro-abortion messages that read “Abort the Supreme Court” and “My body, my choice.”
On May 14, a crisis pregnancy center in Frederick, Maryland, was vandalized with pro-abortion graffiti.
On May 13, a crisis pregnancy center in Reisterstown, Maryland, was vandalized. Messages left behind included, “You’re anti-choice,” “Not pro-life,” and “If abortions aren’t safe, neither are you.”
On May 8, activists attacked a Right to Life office in Keizer, Oregon, with Molotov cocktails. In that same time period, a crisis pregnancy center in Denton, Texas, was vandalized. The attackers left messages painted on the building that read “Forced birth is murder” and “Not a clinic.” A crisis pregnancy center in Madison, Wisconsin, was also attacked on May 8. It was firebombed, and the assailants left threatening messages scribbled on the property, including “If abortions aren’t safe, then you aren’t either.”
As these attacks continue to crop up all around the county, it’s worth noting the Southern Poverty Law Center published a survey this month that found nearly half of young Democratic males approve “of assassinating a politician who is harming our country or democracy.” Meanwhile, Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and even President Joe Biden, refuse to condemn the violence and intimidation visited upon pro-life organizations and public figures. They don’t appear to believe the attacks are worrisome. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) issued a none-too-subtle threat in 2020 when he said in remarks aimed at Kavanaugh and Justice Neil Gorsuch, “You have unleashed the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”
It’s almost as if Democrats and their leaders want things to spin violently out of control.
On May 7, a Roman Catholic church in Fort Collins, Colorado, was vandalized, its doors and windows smashed. “My body, my choice” was written on the church’s entrance doors.
On May 6, a Roman Catholic church in Armada, Michigan, was vandalized with messages that include “666” and “F-g Republicans dead.”
On May 5, a crisis pregnancy center in Portland, Oregon, had its windows smashed. The perpetrators left behind a note that read, “F*** [crisis pregnancy centers].”
On May 3, a pregnancy center in Illinois was razed, causing roughly $250,000 in damages. The center provided diapers and baby supplies to struggling mothers.
Also, on May 3, a Roman Catholic church in Boulder, Colorado, was vandalized. The perpetrators splashed paint on a statue of the Virgin Mary and spray-painted messages all over the church, including ones that read “My body, my choice” and “Keep your religion off our bodies.”
Once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. Three is a trend. More than a dozen is a coordinated campaign whose message is: You are next.
Becket Adams is the program director of the National Journalism Center.