2 Senior Judges, Appointed By Repubicans, Speak Out About Threats Against Federal Judiciary

Two senior federal judges, both appointed by Republican presidents, spoke out Tuesday against threats of violence and impeachment against their colleagues in the judiciary.

"Threats against judges are threats against constitutional government. Everyone should be taking this seriously," said Judge Richard Sullivan, whom President Donald Trump appointed to the federal appeals court in New York.

Billionaire Elon Musk and other Trump allies have railed at judges who have blocked parts of Trump's agenda, threatening impeachment and launching personal attacks. The Federal Judges Association, the largest such organization, issued a rare public statement decrying "irresponsible rhetoric shrouded in disinformation" that could undermine public confidence in the judiciary.

Sullivan joined Judge Jeffrey Sutton of the federal appeals court based in Cincinnati, Ohio, in a call with reporters following a meeting of the Judicial Conference, the judiciary's governing body.

Security for judges in courthouses and their homes was part of the discussion in the closed-door meeting, Sullivan and Sutton said.