Washington D.C. police were called to Morton’s Steakhouse last week, where Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was allegedly being harassed because he voted in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade, which returned the right to regulate abortion to the states.
The call to police came at approximately 8:55 p.m. on July 6; a Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email.
“It appears some suspicious individuals were trying to enter the VIP room in the restaurant. I do not have confirmation on who those people in the VIP room were. The individuals fled the location prior to police arrival,” the spokesperson said.
The demonstrators appeared to be associated with the ShutDown DC activist group. They showed up outside Morton’s after the group tweeted that they received a tip that the justice was there.
“While the badasses @OurRightsDC and his own neighbors are gathered outside #Kavanaugh’s home, the justice seems to have snuck out for a swanky DC dinner,” ShutDown DC posted on Twitter. “We got a tip from someone who spotted him around 7:40. DM us if you want to join him… we’re sure he can pull up a seat!”
Around the same time, activist Melissa Byrne tweeted out the restaurant’s phone number, writing, “Folks should call Mortons (sic) at +1 (202) 955-5997 and tell them it’s gross they welcomed Brett Kavanaugh as a diner tonight. Men who take away womens (sic) rights should be shunned.”
ShutDown DC later tweeted that the justice chose to exit through the rear of the restaurant.
“We hear Kavanaugh snuck out the back with his security detail. [Morton’s] should be ashamed for welcoming a man who so clearly hates women,” the group wrote.
A source familiar with the situation told Politico that Kavanaugh never saw or heard the protesters and ate a full meal but left before dessert.
A Morton’s spokesperson provided a statement to Politico, expressing anger over the incident.
“Honorable Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh and all of our other patrons at the restaurant were unduly harassed by unruly protestors while eating dinner at our Morton’s restaurant,” the statement read.
“Politics, regardless of your side or views, should not trample the freedom at play of the right to congregate and eat dinner,” the spokesperson continued. “There is a time and place for everything. Disturbing the dinner of all of our customers was an act of selfishness and void of decency.”
ShutDown DC responded to Morton’s statement on Twitter, “No rights for us, no peace for you. Get f–ked [Morton’s].”
On Friday, Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre whether President Joe Biden believes it is appropriate to “intimidate” a Supreme Court justice while they are going about their day.
Jean-Pierre responded that the administration “condemn[s] any intimidation of judges.”
“We have said that we want to see peaceful protests. We want to see the protests be peaceful, but when it comes to intimidation, that is something we condemn,” she added.
“Would you say, ‘Don’t go to a restaurant a Supreme Court justice is at’?” Doocy pressed Jean-Pierre.
“What I’m saying is we condemn any intimidation when it comes to judges,” the press secretary repeated. “The President has talked about this, and we have put out statements.”
“So, where’s the line?” Doocy asked in exchange. “If these protesters can go to a justice’s house and they can go to a restaurant, where is it that you don’t think it’s appropriate for a group of protesters to go?”
“You asked me about intimidation. We condemn intimidation, we condemn any violence,” Jean-Pierre repeated. “And we’ve been very clear. That is, it is a clear definition of what violence is or what intimidation is. Peaceful protests, people should be allowed to be able to do that.”
“In a restaurant?” Doocy asked.
Jean-Pierre replied, “If it’s outside of a restaurant, if it’s peaceful, for sure.”
“Really?” Doocy asked.
“Peaceful protest,” Jean-Pierre doubled down, “Whereas your question to me was ‘intimidation.'”
“So these justices, because protesters do not agree with an opinion they signed on to, have no right to privacy, is what you’re saying?” Doocy followed up.
“But Peter … people have the right,” the White House spokesperson responded. “This is what a democracy is.”
“Of course people have a right to privacy, but people also have a right to be able to protest peacefully — peacefully. It’s the intimidation and the violence that we condemn,” the press secretary continued before breaking off Doocy’s line of questioning.
Last Wednesday’s demonstration at Morton’s was the latest in a line of protests targeting the Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 24. A majority of the demonstrations have been held outside the justices’ homes.
The Biden administration has refused to prosecute people who have gathered outside the homes of Supreme Court justices in recent weeks, despite a federal law prohibiting protesting outside a judge’s house with the intent to intimidate.
The administration did order the U.S. Marshals Service to provide around-the-clock security at the homes of all nine justices in May. Additionally, a bill to bolster security for the justices and their families introduced by Texas Senator John Cornyn was signed into law by Biden in June.
Kavanaugh himself was the target of an assassination attempt last month. A California man was arrested near the justice’s home in suburban Maryland, allegedly in possession of a suitcase and backpack containing a tactical police vest, a tactical knife, pepper spray, zip ties, a Glock 17 pistol, and two magazines of ammunition.
The suspect reportedly planned to break into the house and kill Kavanaugh but called 911 on himself after seeing U.S. marshals in front of the house, according to court documents. The man has since been charged with attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice and pleaded not guilty on June 22.