Chief Justice John Roberts condemns Sen. Chuck Schumer's 'threatening statements'

Supreme Court Justice John Roberts on Wednesday issued a rare rebuke, criticizing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) for comments he made earlier in the day about Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, two justices who were nominated by the Trump administration and confirmed after facing stiff opposition.

Roberts described the senator's remarks as "threatening," "inappropriate" and "dangerous." 

Schumer made the remarks at a pro-abortion rally while the high court heard a case pertaining to abortion.

Some Republicans also perceived Schumer’s statement as threatening and said that the Senate minority leader should apologize.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis called Schumer’s remarks “beyond disgusting and dangerous” and called for Democrats to condemn the comments. Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley called the remarks “wrong” and “dangerous.”

Schumer spokesman Justin Goodman pushed back against the idea that Schumer was threatening members of the nation's highest court.

"Sen. Schumer's comments were a reference to the political price Senate Republicans will pay for putting these justices on the court, and a warning that the justices will unleash a major grassroots movement on the issue of reproductive rights against the decision," Goodman said in a statement.

"For Justice Roberts to follow the right-wing's deliberate misinterpretation of what Sen. Schumer said, while remaining silent when President Trump attacked Justices Sotomayor and Ginsberg last week, shows Justice Roberts does not just call balls and strikes," he added.