NJ attorney general co-leads bipartisan call for Congress to fully fund Supreme Court security
TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport is co-leading a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general calling on Congress to fully fund the U.S. Supreme Court’s fiscal year 2027 security request amid an increase in threats against federal judges and their families.
The attorneys general are seeking resources to protect the justices, their families and the Supreme Court as an institution. The coalition said adequate security is necessary to allow justices to exercise judicial independence without fear or favor.
According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, “security incidents of significant concern” involving judges increased 57% in fiscal year 2025.
The coalition cited several previous acts of violence or threats against members of the federal judiciary and their families, including a 2022 case in which a gunman traveled to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s neighborhood with the stated intent to assassinate him in his home.
The attorneys general also pointed to the 2020 killing of Daniel Anderl, the son of New Jersey U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, at his home during an attempted assassination of Salas.
“New Jerseyans are too familiar with the tragedy of political violence arriving at a public servant’s front door,” said Attorney General Davenport. “Congress must provide the funding necessary to protect Supreme Court Justices and all the federal judiciary from these growing threats.”
The Supreme Court’s fiscal year 2027 request includes $14.6 million to expand personal protection for the justices and additional personnel to strengthen security at the Supreme Court building.
The request also includes $2 million for an off-site command post to coordinate residential protection for the justices.
New Jersey co-led a similar letter to Congress in December 2025 calling for increased security funding for the federal judiciary.
The coalition acknowledged that Congress faces difficult spending decisions but said protecting the court also safeguards the security and stability of the nation’s constitutional system.
The letter was addressed to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Davenport co-led the letter with the attorneys general of Connecticut, Missouri, North Carolina and Tennessee. They were joined by attorneys general from more than 40 other states and jurisdictions.
