(NewsNation) — Legislation that would expand security to the immediate family of Supreme Court justices was left on the table as the U.S. House adjourned for the weekend.
This comes hours after an armed man was arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s Maryland home, making threats against the justice, a Supreme Court spokesperson told NewsNation.
The man, identified by court documents as 26-year-old Nicholas John Roske, faces a federal charge of attempted murder after he was found carrying at least one weapon.
Republicans pounced on the House’s inaction on the bill, arguing Democrats are leaving a gaping security hole.
“Inexplicably, this urgent and uncontroversial bill has been sitting on Speaker Pelosi’s desk ever since,” said Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
And Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., criticized Democrats, saying, “I have no idea why the Democrats have held that bill for one month. Have no idea.”
Despite the threat on Kavanaugh’s life, peaceful protests continued outside his home Wednesday night.
Protests were also held outside the home of Justice Samuel Alito.
In May, Senate Democrats moved quickly to try to codify the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion after a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion suggesting the court is poised to overturn the case was leaked.
Before the leak, justices already had security provided by the Supreme Court Police inside the court and the U.S. Marshals when they needed personal protective services.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland spoke to reporters when asked about the arrest before a closed-door meeting Wednesday.
“Threats of violence and actual violence against the justice is a core strike at the heart of our democracy and we will do everything we can to prevent them and to hold people who do them accountable.”
Last month, Garland increased 24/7 security at justices’ homes with armed U.S. Marshals around the clock.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, R-Calif., responded to criticism from Republicans, saying the House will vote on the bill next week.
“The justices are protected, as you all know. We’re awaiting language from the Senate so that we could be completely up-to-date as to what they want to do. That’s in the works,” Pelosi said.
In California Wednesday night, the FBI raided Roske’s home. Roske is accused of having a gun and burglary tools near the justice’s Maryland home. U.S. Marshals stationed outside Kavanaugh’s home are cited as helping to make the arrest.