US judges group warns of threats to judiciary's independence

By Nate Raymond

March 4 (Reuters) - The nation's largest association of U.S. federal judges on Wednesday warned of a rise in criticism, threats and violence directed at the judiciary and condemned "irresponsible rhetoric shrouded in disinformation" that could undermine public confidence in the court system.

In a rare public statement, the Federal Judges Association said recent events had provided "a clear and urgent reminder that federal judges play a crucial role in upholding our democracy as guardians of the rule of law."

The statement did not cite any specific cases or threats. But the association, which represents the majority of life-tenured federal judges, issued it amid concerns about security within the judiciary.

Reuters on Wednesday reported that U.S. marshals, according to several judges, have warned federal judges of unusually high threat levels as billionaire Elon Musk and other Trump administration allies ramp up efforts to discredit judges who stand in the way of White House efforts to slash federal jobs and programs, including by calling for the impeachment of some.

U.S. Circuit Judge Michelle Childs, the association's president, in a Tuesday message sent to her group's 1,100 members ahead of Wednesday's public statement went further, saying the "judiciary faces growing threats, including violence, intimidation, disinformation, and unprecedented impeachments that challenge its independence."

Childs, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and a one-time U.S. Supreme Court contender, did not cite Trump, Musk or anyone else by name.

But her reference to impeachments followed calls by Musk for a "wave of judicial impeachments." Some Republican lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives over the last two weeks have moved to impeach three jurists who blocked Trump initiatives, U.S. District Judges Paul Engelmayer, John Bates and Amir Ali.

Many of those same judges have become the subject of social media posts responding to Musk and others, which have called for them to be arrested, detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba or hung, according to a review of social media postings by Reuters.

"Continued violence, intimidation, and defiance directed at judges simply because they are fulfilling their sworn judicial duties only serves to undermine our Republic, jeopardize the inheritance from our founding generation, and risk the collapse of the rule of law," Childs said in her message reviewed by Reuters.

Childs said it was imperative that judges and the legal community work to "engage in civic education efforts to help the public and decision-makers understand the judiciary’s critical role in our democracy."

She said the judiciary's independence was being threatened by disinformation about the basis of court rulings being spread on social media, "which provide readily accessible channels to instantly spread rumors and false information."

"The judicial branch is ill-suited to combat this problem because judges speak only through their decisions and do not call press conferences or issue rebuttals," she said.

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