An American marshal is watching an auction in 2009 in New York.
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Congress Democrats presented a bill on Thursday which would change control of the American Maréchaux service From the executive branch to the federal judiciary, in order to isolate the agency of political interference and to ensure that the judges receive solid security protections.
This decision comes as President Trump, Prosecutor General Pam Bondi and other high representatives of the government this year made criticism of the judges who are heading against the administration in dozens of judicial disputes. The marshals protect the judges, but they also fall under the American prosecutor, and not from the courts themselves.
These criticisms have raised fears that the marshals could be taken in the midst of a power struggle if the White House or the Ministry of Justice ordered them to ignore a court order or to draw the security of the judges, the Democrats said.
The judges faced violent threats and called for dismissal because of their work.
“Today, independent judges must count on the executive power, whose business is often before them, for personal security,” said representative Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., In a statement. “I saw how the threats of violence for the members of the Congress put them pressure to remain silent or influence their votes on the floor of the room. We cannot allow the same calculations to slip into the deliberations of independent judges.”
The legislation would distance the marshals from the control of the Ministry of Justice and create a special council whose members include the United States judge-in-chief and the judicial conference, the organization for the development of the courts. It is modeled on the structure to direct the police of the American Capitol.
The bill, known as the authority for maintaining and restoring security to stop the law on law abuses, is sponsored by Democratic representatives Swalwell; Jamie Raskin from Maryland; And Hank Johnson from Georgia. A company bill in the Senate is led by Cory Booker from New Jersey; Chuck Schumer from New York; Alex Padilla from California; And Adam Schiff of California.
The legislation may not go through a congress controlled by the Republicans, but is supposed to send a signal on the concern of the Democrats concerning the issue of judicial security.
A spokesperson for the marshals refused to comment, citing the ongoing legislation.
Threats against judges are not a hypothetical question. The son of the American district judge Esther Salas of New Jersey was fatally shot in their house by a frustrated litigant who had appeared in his courtroom.
This year, judges and family members have received hundreds of invaluated pizza deliveries in seven different American states, in an apparent effort to intimidate the judges and point out that their home addresses are known, the legislators said. Some of the deliveries were placed on behalf of the deceased son of Salas, Daniel Anderl.
“Since 1789, American marshals have valiantly protected the judges of our country and imposed judicial orders,” said Senator Booker. “But their double responsibility towards the executive power and the judicial branch open the way to a constitutional crisis.”
Alex Aronson, a former Congress assistant who is now executive director of the group court, said the bill was a “critical solicitor and sales”.