Judges fear retribution for doing their jobs amid abortion protests
U.S. District Judge for New Jersey Esther Salas, whose son was killed at home, weighs in on pro-choice activists targeting justices' homes.
A New Jersey federal judge, whose son was killed at home, warned Tuesday about pro-choice activists who have been going to Supreme Court justices' homes.
Esther Salas said on "America’s Newsroom" judges and courts stand on the front lines of democracy and lawmakers must take action to protect the judiciary from intimidation and threats.
"We’ve been literally taking the fire for months now, years in fact. And nothing is being done to protect us. We stand at the front line for democracy and all justices and federal court judges at all levels need to be protected. Democracy demands this. Our Constitution demands this. The time is now. What else do we need? More deaths?" she asked, adding that it makes her "want to cry" seeing justices and their families having to be fearful.
NJ FEDERAL JUDGE ESTHER SALAS CONTINUES PUSH FOR MORE SECURITY AFTER ATTACK ON FAMILY
"We need to understand that public debate has a place and that's in the public forum. It does not have a place in front of justices or judges' houses."
Left: Mark Anderl Middle: Judge Esther Salas Right: Daniel Anderl
Salas’ son Daniel was murdered and her husband was severely injured in a racially motivated attack on her home over 21 months ago by a man upset over her handling of a case.
Ever since, Salas has pushed for more security for judges after the attack on her family.
Roy Den Hollander had "a complete workup" of Salas’ life with her husband, Mark Anderl, and their 20-year-old son, Daniel Mark Anderl, in the days before the fateful July evening when he showed up at the family's North Brunswick home carrying a FedEx package and posing as a delivery person.
Protesters at the home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito (Fox News Digital)
Salas has since made it her mission to ensure judges are provided with greater security and protection and their personal information is scrubbed from "open sources," or websites that can be found by any member of the public through even a basic internet search.
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Salas told Dana Perino that the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act has been in "limbo" in Congress, but protecting judges should not be a partisan issue.
"I live with the fact that my only child, Mark and I, we had one child and four miscarriages. We no longer have Daniel on this earth. We no longer have our son. And why? Because I was doing my job. And there is no room in America for this kind of conduct. We must realize that we have to do things civilly. We have to be civil to one another. And we have to protect our democracy at all costs," she said.
Fox News' Stephanie Pagones contributed to this report.