ASSASSIN Targets THREE Supreme Court Justices

Lady Justice statue in front of courthouse

Federal prosecutors revealed that a radical leftist plotted to assassinate three Supreme Court justices in a calculated scheme to rewrite America’s constitutional order and overturn conservative judicial decisions.

Story Highlights

Nicholas Roske planned to murder three conservative Supreme Court justices to alter the Court’s ideological balance
The plot was motivated by anger over the leaked Dobbs decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade
Prosecutors are seeking terrorism enhancement and 30 years to life in prison for the failed assassination attempt
The case represents an unprecedented attack on judicial independence and constitutional separation of powers

Unprecedented Attack on Constitutional Order

Nicholas Roske’s assassination plot against Supreme Court justices represents the most serious threat to judicial independence in modern American history. Federal prosecutors characterized the June 2022 scheme as “an abhorrent form of terrorism” designed to “single-handedly alter the constitutional order for ideological ends.” The Justice Department’s sentencing memorandum reveals Roske intended to kill three conservative justices, fundamentally undermining the constitutional principle of an independent judiciary that conservatives have long defended as essential to American democracy.

Roske traveled from California to Maryland armed with weapons and zip ties, specifically targeting Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s home in Chevy Chase. The plot was only thwarted when Roske noticed U.S. Marshals at the residence and, after speaking with a family member, called 911 to surrender. This near-miss demonstrates how close radical leftist ideology came to succeeding in its goal of reshaping America’s highest court through violence rather than democratic processes.

Leftist Extremism Driven by Abortion Politics

The assassination attempt was directly triggered by the May 2022 leak of the draft Dobbs decision, which indicated the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade. Roske’s motivation exemplifies how radical leftist commitment to unlimited abortion access can drive individuals to violent extremism against constitutional institutions. The perpetrator specifically chose conservative justices as targets, viewing their judicial philosophy as obstacles to progressive political goals that needed to be eliminated through assassination rather than legal argument.

Court documents reveal Roske’s premeditated planning included acquiring weapons, attempting to erase digital evidence, and conducting reconnaissance on multiple justices. This level of preparation demonstrates the calculated nature of leftist political violence when constitutional decisions don’t align with progressive ideology. The case highlights how leaked court documents can be weaponized by extremists to justify attacks on judicial independence, threatening the fundamental separation of powers that protects American constitutional governance.

Terrorism Enhancement Reflects Severity of Constitutional Threat

Federal prosecutors are pursuing a terrorism enhancement in Roske’s sentencing, seeking 30 years to life imprisonment for the attempted murder charge. The DOJ’s characterization of the plot as terrorism acknowledges that attacks on judicial independence constitute assaults on the constitutional framework itself. This prosecutorial approach recognizes that ideologically motivated violence against Supreme Court justices threatens not just individual safety but the entire system of constitutional governance that conservatives value as America’s foundational strength.

The case has prompted increased security measures for federal judges and renewed discussions about protecting judicial independence from political intimidation. Legal experts note the unprecedented nature of an armed attempt to assassinate sitting Supreme Court justices specifically to change the Court’s ideological composition. This represents exactly the kind of institutional attack that undermines constitutional order and democratic governance, validating conservative concerns about leftist willingness to use violence when legal and political processes don’t produce desired progressive outcomes.

Roske’s sentencing is scheduled for October 3, 2025, with the case serving as a critical test of whether the justice system will adequately punish attempts to overthrow constitutional governance through violence. The severity of the proposed sentence reflects recognition that attacks on judicial independence threaten the constitutional separation of powers that protects American democracy from ideological extremism seeking to impose political will through assassination rather than democratic processes.