Virginia governor to DOJ: Prosecute SCOTUS home protesters, the statute is 'clear'

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Govs. Youngkin, Hogan call on DOJ to prosecute SCOTUS home protesters.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin reacts on 'Jesse Watters Primetime.'

Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Va., reiterated his call for Attorney General Merrick Garland to crack down on what he said are illegal protests in front of Supreme Court justices' homes.

Youngkin told "Jesse Watters Primetime" Wednesday he and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a fellow Republican, wrote a joint letter to Garland earlier in May to no avail.

Demonstrators have largely focused on residences of three of six Republican-appointed justices — Brett Kavanaugh and John Roberts in Maryland and Samuel Alito in Virginia.

The leak of Alito's draft opinion was "done to cause chaos," Youngkin said. "[I]t was done in order to stoke picketing and parades, in order to try to influence justices."

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Youngkin (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty)

Youngkin cited the letter he and Hogan wrote to Garland demanding action, adding he isn't confident the Biden Justice Department will indict anyone, adding that the law therein is clear.

In the letter, the governors called in-part for "appropriate resources to safeguard the justices and enforce the law as it is written. It is critical that our department acts to preserve the safety and standards of the highest court in the land."

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"It's clear in the statute that that's illegal and he should enforce it," Youngkin told "Jesse Watters Primetime."

In the absence of federal action, Youngkin said Virginia law enforcement assets are "poised and ready to make sure there's no violence at justices' homes."

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Hogan. (AP/Brian Witte)

"The reality is, as we head into this final [court] decision, we in Virginia are preparing to make sure that, yes, people are allowed to exercise their First Amendment right — actually uphold the Constitution — but we will not allow violence. We will not allow looting, and we will make sure that that the law is upheld."

The governor said he inherited a 20-year-high statewide murder rate from predecessor Ralph Northam, and claimed local authorities are "overwhelmed."

"We are working across the commonwealth with local leaders, with police chief police chiefs, with sheriffs, with mayors, with church leaders, with community leaders to bring federal resources, state resources and local resources to bear on this terrible increase in violence."