In a startling turn of events, 84-year-old Judge John Coughenour retrieved a firearm from a Seattle courthouse and brought it home after a swatting incident threatened his safety.
Coughenour’s Unexpected Weapon
Judge Coughenour, who has served as a federal judge for nearly 45 years, decided to arm himself after two false alarms. “I’m not a gun nut,” he said, but added, “I have armed myself.”
The judge had previously stored a gun at the federal courthouse in Seattle, a weapon he now keeps at his residence for self-defense. This move follows a swatting call that claimed he had barricaded himself and murdered his wife, and another that alleged a bomb in his mailbox. Police arrived and found no threat.
A Landmark Ruling and the Trump Response
On Jan 23, just three days after President Donald Trump took office, Coughenour blocked an executive order aimed at limiting birthright citizenship. He described the proposal as “blatantly unconstitutional.” Trump later remarked in the Oval Office, “They put it before a certain judge in Seattle I guess, right? And there’s no surprises with that judge.”
Coughenour was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981. In the wake of his ruling, the judge faced intense criticism from the Trump administration, which labeled decisions against the president as a “judicial coup” and described judges as “low-level leftist judges.”
Pizza Deliveries: A New Form of Intimidation
The judiciary has seen a surge in anonymous pizza deliveries. Judge Stephen Bough, a Kansas City-based Democratic appointee, received unsolicited pizzas at 1 a.m. and 2 a.m., and his daughter, 800 miles away, also received one. He said the deliveries are a “new way of intimidating judges.”
Bough notified the U.S. Marshals, who increased patrols and helped him improve his home security. He added, “You alter your lifestyle and try to encourage your family to do the same. It feels like things are different now.”
Judge Esther Salas of New Jersey, another Democratic appointee, canceled her credit cards after a security breach and faced unsuccessful pizza attempts. Salas, whose son Daniel Anderl was murdered in 2020, said, “I do think it’s important for us now, at this time in our country’s history, to really speak out against all of this intimidation, this violence, these threats to the judiciary and its independence.”
Foreign Connections and the Role of the Marshals
Three sources told NBC News that some pizza deliveries may be tied to foreign actors. Judge Robert Lasnik of the Western District of Washington said he and two adult children received deliveries, remarking, “The message was, we know where you live, we know where your kids live, and one of them could end up dead, like Judge Salas’ son.”
The Marshals Service informed Salas in May that 103 pizza deliveries had been made to judges who ruled against Trump or spoke out, 20 of which were sent to others in the name of her late son. Salas stated, “These bad actors continue to use my murdered son’s name as an attempt to inflict fear on my colleagues all throughout this country.”
Cybersecurity expert Ron Zayas, who contracts with federal courts, said his company’s investigation found signs of foreign intervention, describing the activity as having hallmarks of Russia-allied action. He noted, “The groups that were having the conversations, and in the rooms where we saw the conversations, they tend to be related to the Russian government, or were known to be affiliated and be sympathetic to Russian causes. It’s just a way to destabilize.” Zayas added that the investigation did not definitively tie the activity to Russia.
The Marshals Service spokesperson declined to comment on potential foreign involvement, stating only that the investigation is ongoing.
Rising Threats and Judge Concerns
The Marshals Service reports 564 threats against judges in fiscal year 2025, with 131 since October. Chief Justice John Roberts noted in his annual report that the number of threats has tripled over the last decade, not solely during the Trump administration. Some federal judges feel the Supreme Court has not done enough to protect them.
Judges are not faulting the Marshals Service for its limited resources. Courthouses are secure, but many judges feel vulnerable at home. The Marshals Service can set up home security but does not provide round-the-clock protection unless a specific threat is identified.
Judge Bough expressed worry about the long-term impact: “Judges signed up to try their best to be neutral arbiters of the law and to follow precedent, and for it now to be at a point where I have to worry about the safety of my spouse and my children, that changes the entire dynamic.”
Coughenour, though aged 84, said his primary concern is not his own safety but that of younger colleagues. He remarked, “I’m 84 years old. Threats against my life expectancy are kind of hollow. I don’t have much time anyway. I’m more concerned that our democracy is at risk because of the trends against the rule of law.”
Key Takeaways
- Judge John Coughenour armed himself after a swatting incident and a bomb claim.
- Anonymous pizza deliveries have become a new intimidation tactic against judges.
- Some deliveries may be linked to foreign actors, with investigations suggesting Russian-allied activity.
- Threats to federal judges have tripled over the last decade, raising concerns about judicial safety and the future of the judiciary.
The escalating threats and intimidation tactics highlight a growing challenge for the federal judiciary, prompting judges to adapt their personal security and raising questions about the protection of the judicial branch in a polarized political climate.
