VIDEO: Blackburn Confronts Law Professor for Calling Conservative Justices ‘Evil’ and Urges Passage of Protect Our Supreme Court Justices Act
June 5, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) confronted University of Pennsylvania law professor Kate Shaw on referring to conservative United States Supreme Court justices as “evil colleagues” as Supreme Court justices have faced threats of intimidation at their homes by those seeking to influence their decisions. Professor Shaw denied these comments despite being under oath and her comments being on tape. Senator Blackburn also pressed Professor Shaw on whether she supports the Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act to deter intimidation of justices.
Click here to download video of Senator Blackburn’s remarks during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
On Shaw’s comments about Supreme Court justices:
Blackburn: “Would you like to provide explanation about why you think conservative justices are evil? Do you care to explain yourself?”
Shaw: “I would have to look at the transcript senator. I think that the dismissive approach to sex equality arguments in the Dobbs case was deeply concerning. One paragraph in the opinion suggests that there's no sex equality problem with abortion restrictions or prohibitions. I think that's deeply wrong, and in the more colloquial sort of mode of a podcast conversation. That is probably what I intended to convey, that he discounted very serious sex equality concerns.”
On Blackburn’s Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act:
Blackburn: “I've got a bill, the Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act, and it would deter intimidation of Supreme Court Justices. It would increase the maximum term of imprisonment for violation of Section 1507 from one year to five years… Increasing the maximum time jail time for a protester under 1507 is, I think, an effective way to deter this intimidation of our justices. So, I'd like to hear from each of you on this.”
Shaw: “…I would need to take a look. I'm not prepared to take a position… If we’re talking about increasing penalties for violence, I would absolutely support that.”
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