Embattled Supreme Court asks Congress for millions of dollars in security funding: report

09 March 2023

2022 was an incredibly turbulent year for the U.S. Supreme Court, whose decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization inspired angry protests all over the country. A California man was indicted on federal charges for allegedly plotting to assassinate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and according to polls, public support for the High Court has reached historic lows.

Now, in 2023, the High Court is, according to NBC News reporter Lawrence Hurley, requesting "millions of dollars from Congress" to enhance security — both physical security and cybersecurity.

"In a $150 million budget request published Thursday, (March 9) that covers salaries and expenses," Hurley reports, "the Court asked for almost $6 million in (additional) funding to 'expand security activities conducted by Supreme Court Police to protect the justices.' Threat assessments have shown 'evolving risks that require continuous protection,' the budget request said. The Court also asked for an (additional) $585,000 to fund new IT positions that would, among other things, address cybersecurity issues."

According to Hurley, "The total requested budget for the Supreme Court building and grounds is just over $20 million — a reduction of almost $9 million from what it received last year, which had included $18.7 million for other security upgrades."

The High Court's security-related requests come ten months after the leak of a bombshell draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito in the Dobbs case. In May 2022, Politico published Alito's argument for overturning Roe v. Wade. And the following month, the Court officially overturned Roe 5-4 with its final ruling in Dobbs.

Who leaked that draft to Politico remains a mystery. After an extensive investigation, the Court was still unable to determine who the leaker was.

Read NBC News' full report at this link.

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