Fox News host Dan Bongino has called on Virginia prosecutors to charge protesters gathered outside Supreme Court Justice Samual Alito’s home with federal crimes.
Speaking on his syndicated radio show, former Secret Service agent Bongino said Virginia officials should prosecute protesters under the Right to Tranquility law for trying to intimidate justices at their homes.
Bongino also warned the protesters he would share his videotaped evidence “of a federal crime” with the FBI.
Bongino cited Section 18.2 SS 419 of the Code of Virginia to back his claim.
Bongino then proceeded to read from the section of the law that applies:
“Any person who shall engage in picketing before or about the residence or dwelling place of any individual — or who shall assemble with another person or persons in a manner which disrupts or threatens to disrupt any individual’s right to tranquility in his home — shall be guilty of a Class-3 misdemeanor.”
Bongino then called on Virginia’s new Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin to do more.
“You’ve been doing a decent job, but this is in Virginia — in your state,” he said.
“I’m again not in this for the politics.
“I’m not looking to kiss anybody’s a**, he seems like a decent guy, I’m glad he won.
“But you have to take some cues from Ron DeSantis, who enforces the law down here in Florida,” Bongino said.
Bongino calls on Virginia officials to prosecute Alito protesters under ‘right to tranquility’ law 👇🏻👇🏻https://t.co/dZqCwuXcic
— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) May 11, 2022
Virginia Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares said:
“I will not hesitate to bring suit to protect the religious freedom of the citizens of this Commonwealth.”
Top House Republicans agreed with Bongino and accused the White House and Democrats of encouraging illegal activity.
“I’m disappointed that this White House is still encouraging people to break federal law and go and protest in front of the houses of Supreme Court justices, as Jen Psaki encouraged yesterday,” House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) said.
“It is unlawful — it is against the law in this country to protest a sitting judge,” said House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY).
“We want to maintain the independence of our courts.
“And the fact that that is being encouraged by this administration is shameful.
“It’s unconstitutional. It’s meant to intimidate the justices.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said:
“Tying to scare federal judges in ruling a certain way is far outside the bounds of First Amendment speech or protest.
“It is an attempt to replace the rule of law with the rule of mobs.
“It appears this may possibly be flat-out illegal.”
