Supreme Court: Our Nation Needs Your Moral Leadership

We write in deep concern over unprecedented political violence reaching a dangerous tipping point. In Minnesota this weekend, a politically motivated assassin dressed as a police officer murdered State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, and shot State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. Governor Tim Walz called it a “politically motivated assassination.” This horror did not occur in isolation; it is the result of years of escalating rhetoric and silence from leaders with the power to stop it. The threat to democracy is clear. On January 6, 2021, lies about a stolen election fueled a deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol, leaving five dead and more than 140 officers injured. In 2019, 23 people were murdered in El Paso by a gunman whose manifesto mirrored then-President Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric. Today, Trump calls Americans “vermin,” threatens to use “very heavy force” on protesters, and pardons convicted January 6 rioters, normalizing violence as a tool of political power. The Supreme Court cannot remain silent. We respectfully urge you to take action within your constitutional role. Publicly affirm that violent and dehumanizing rhetoric undermines democracy. Condemn pardons of insurrectionists and political violence in all forms. Someone must signal clearly that incitement has legal and moral consequences and that no one is above accountability, not even the president. This is not about politics. It is about preserving the foundation of our nation: peaceful discourse, lawful dissent, and equal justice. Inaction invites more tragedy. The Court’s voice, at this moment, could help restore faith and protect lives. Please, speak out for our democracy, our safety, and our future.