GOP slam House Dems for stalling SCOTUS protection bill after suspect charged with trying to kill Kavanaugh

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FIRST ON FOX: Republican lawmakers had choice words after an armed California man was picked up near Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house Wednesday morning with the intent to kill him.

Police have said the arrested man intended to kill Kavanaugh as he walked toward his Maryland home with a gun and a knife. He did not make it to the justice’s house. 

GOP lawmakers, in response to the arrest, condemned recent Democratic rhetoric towards the Supreme Court and demanded House Democrats stop stalling a bill that would provide security details to the justices. 

ARMED CALIFORNIA MAN ARRESTED BY SUPREME COURT JUSTICE BRETT KAVANAUGH’S MARYLAND HOME

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Republican members criticize President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the close of the war in Afghanistan, during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

“After the White House said President Biden ‘encouraged’ protesters to target the private homes of Supreme Court justices, Speaker Pelosi praised their ‘righteous anger’ and Leader Schumer even threatened that Justice Kavanaugh would ‘pay the price’ House Democrats promised to pass legislation to protect the justices and their families,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “That was nearly a month ago – but no legislation has been passed to date.”

“What has occurred is exactly what many feared: an armed man targeted Justice Brett Kavanaugh at his private residence,” the Republican leader continued. “Fortunately, this assassination plot was foiled, but Democrats have sent an unacceptable message that private homes are no longer off limits.”

“Speaker Pelosi should bring up for a vote the bill the Senate passed unanimously to provide more security for Supreme Court justices and their families immediately – what are Democrats waiting for?” McCarthy added.

Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., told Fox News Digital that to “the radical left, the ends justify the means” and called on President Biden and the press to condemn the “attempted assassination.” The White House did issue a statement condemning the apparent attempt on Kavanuagh’s life.

“The belligerence and violence from pro-abortion activists need to be strongly condemned by both the press and the President,” Scott said. “The fact that Biden fails to condemn the attempted assassination of Justice Kavanaugh because he doesn’t agree with him politically is shameful and a threat to our democracy.”

Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., said the arrest goes beyond being a Republican or Democrat.

Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., during a committee hearing. (Photo courtesy of Rep. Scott’s office.) (Photo courtesy of Rep. Scott’s office)

“This criminal act transcends any political affiliation or party agenda,” he said. 

“The far-Left will stop at nothing to intimidate our SCOTUS and erode our independent judiciary,” he continued. “We must demand accountability for these horrendous threats against our independent judicial branch.”

Oklahoma Republican Rep. Markwayne Mullin, who is running for Senate, told Fox News Digital that liberal “Democrats refuse to acknowledge that their reckless, abhorrent actions have consequences.”

“For months, we’ve watched radical Socialists incite mobs outside of justices’ homes and green-light intimidation tactics against our Supreme Court,” Mullin said. “These lawless radicals would love nothing more than to erode the Court altogether. In 2020, Chuck Schumer even told pro-abortion protesters that Justice Kavanaugh would ‘pay the price’ for Roe v. Wade. He almost got what he wanted.”

SPONSOR OF SCOTUS PROTECTION BILL SLAMS DEM ‘OBSTRUCTION’ FOLLOWING ARREST OF ARMED MAN NEAR KAVANAUGH’S HOME

UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 15: Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., speaks during a news conference outside the Capitol to announce the bipartisan I Am Vanessa Guillén Act, on Wednesday, September 16, 2020, named after Army Spc. Vanessa Guillén, who was murdered while stationed at Fort Hood in Texas. The bill calls for reform to the militarys response to missing servicemembers and reports of sexual harassment and sexual assault.  (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“This politically-motivated violence is the direct consequence of Joe Biden’s failure to condemn threats against Supreme Court justices,” the Senate candidate continued. “To the liberal media covering this story: if this threat against SCOTUS comes as a surprise, you haven’t been paying attention.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., tore into the House Democrats in a Senate floor speech for blocking the bill from having a vote.

“This morning’s disturbing reports are exactly why the Senate unanimously passed a Supreme Court security bill weeks ago. But House Democrats have inexplicably blocked it,” McConnell tweeted. “House Democrats need to stop their blockade and pass this uncontroversial bill today.”

Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse, a Republican, also had choice words, praising law enforcement in a Wednesday statement for stopping “this lunatic” and calling political violence “un-American” while demanding Biden condemn the threat. 

“President Biden needs to personally and forcefully condemn violence and threats against Supreme Court Justices – his oath of office demands nothing less,” Sasse said. “Majority Leader Schumer needs to publicly recant of his lunatic shrieking on the steps of the Supreme Court that ‘Brett Kavanaugh will reap the whirlwind.’ This isn’t ‘a lot of passion’ – someone could get killed.”

Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, blasted the House Democrats for stalling the bill.

“The arrest of this individual proves these threats to the Justices’ lives are horrifyingly real, and it’s unconscionable for House Democrats to leave their families without police protection for even one more day,” said Sen. Cornyn. “Speaker Pelosi must keep the House in session until they pass my bill. Every day they don’t the threat to the Justices grows, the potential for tragedy becomes more likely, and House Democrats achieve a new apex of political dysfunction.”

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) speaks on a proposed Democratic tax plan, at the U.S. Capitol on August 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. The Senators spoke out tax proposal saying that it will hurt job growth and the middle class. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Cornyn’s Texan colleague Senator Ted Cruz, a fellow Republican, blasted the administration for not condemning the previous protests outside of Supreme Court justices’ homes in the wake of the Dobbs leak.

“The Biden admin encouraged protests outside of justices’ homes,” Cruz tweeted. “Schumer threatened: ‘You have released the whirlwind [and] you will pay the price!’ Now a would-be assassin went to the home of a Supreme Court Justice.”

“Biden and the Dems need to stop their irresponsible and incendiary rhetoric on Roe and condemn the violence coming from their supporters,” he continued.

Alabama Republican Rep. Barry Moore did not mince words on Twitter about the foiled criminal act.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) had harsh words for Democrats after an armed man was arrested outside Justice Kavanaugh’s home (Reuters)

“Unhinged pro-abortion activists are so hell-bent on murdering unborn children that they tried to murder a SCOTUS Justice,” Moore wrote. “This is weeks after Jen Psaki stated Joe Biden’s position that harassment at Justices’ homes should continue.”

White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a Wednesday statement that Biden “condemns the actions of this individual in the strongest terms, and is grateful to law enforcement for quickly taking him into custody.”

Bates also said the president “has consistently made clear, public officials—including judges—must be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety or that of their families” and that “any violence, threats of violence, or attempts to intimidate justices have no place in our society.”

The Supreme Court Police Parity Act would give Supreme Court justices their own police details, similar to the president’s Secret Service.

UNITED STATES – JULY 22: House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., speaks during the House Democrats press conference on Wednesday, July 22, 2020, on legislation to remove the bust of bust of Chief Justice Roger Taney and Confederate Statues from the U.S. Capitol.  (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The Senate unanimously passed the bill last month, but the legislation has been sitting in limbo since then and currently sees no signs of being taken up for a vote.

Fox News Digital asked House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s office if the Maryland Democrat was planning to expedite a vote on the bill that passed the Senate unanimously.

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Hoyer’s office did not immediately respond to the request for comment.

According to reporters, Hoyer said he is “hopeful” that the House can pass the bill after negotiating with Cornyn and Delaware Democrat Senator Chris Coons.

Houston Keene is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital.  Story tips can be sent to Houston.Keene@Fox.com and on Twitter: @HoustonKeene