Not enough attention has been paid to Rep. Steve King’s (R-IA) comments on NPR this past weekend. In very plain language, Rep. King threatened to abolish the federal courts or prohibit the Justice Department from enforcing their orders. It’s simply astonishing:

Rep. KING: Congress created all of the courts; all the federal courts, Congress grants them jurisdiction. So whatever Congress gives, they can take away. If we wanted to abolish the 9th Circuit, for example, we could do that. Now I’m not going to say I think that’s the prudent thing to do. We could also cut the budget. We could prohibit the Justice Department from enforcing the orders of the court. …

ELLIOTT: Cut the budgets for the court?

Rep. KING: We can do that. If they’re not going to listen to us any other way–if we pass a law, a specific law, and they reject that law, then the authority that they will begin to understand is when their budget starts to dry up, we’ll get their attention. That’s not my preferred method. My preferred method is to have them respect the Constitution and the law. But they are counterproductive to this country and if we’re going to preserve our Constitution, we must get them in line.

Note that the basis for King’s comments — his claim that the federal courts ignored the section of the Schiavo bill forcing a brand new trial — are contradicted by no less than Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. During discussion of the bill on the floor of the House, Frist said, “Nothing in the current bill or its legislative history mandates a stay… This bill does not change current law under which a stay is discretionary.“

Sen. Frank Launtenberg (D-NJ) has sent a letter to Tom Delay advising him that his threat may have violated federal law:

You should be aware that your comments yesterday may violate a Federal criminal statute, 18 U.S.C. 115 (a)(1)(B). That law states:

“Whoever threatens to assault…. or murder, a United States judge… with intent to retaliate against such… judge…. on account of the performance of official duties, shall be punished [by up to six years in prison]“

Threats against specific Federal judges are not only a serious crime, but also beneath a Member of Congress. In my view, the true measure of democracy is how it dispenses justice. Your attempt to intimidate judges in America not only threatens our courts, but our fundamental democracy as well.

Read the full text of the letter here.

Another prominent conservative is backing away from the DeLay meltdown. Former Congressman Bob Livingston (R-LA) a few minutes ago on Fox News:

Well I guess I’ll have to let Tom DeLay explain his own remarks.

“Threatening words dishonor our family, our faith and our sister Terri. We would ask that all of those who support our family be completely kind in their words and deeds to others.”
– Terri Shiavo’s sister, Vitadamo, 3/31/05

“This loss happened because our legal system did not protect the people who need protection most, and that will change. The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior.”
– Tom DeLay, 3/31/05

DeLay’s vague threat against judges yesterday wasn’t just offensive, it was dangerous, especially given the serious threats against judges and others involved in the Schiavo case. Florida Pinellas County Circuit Court Judge George Greer has been “under 24-hour protection by two U.S. marshals due to increased threats against his life by those unhappy with his handling of the Schiavo case.” Last Thursday, police arrested an Illinois man they said robbed a Florida gun store as part of an attempt to “rescue Terri Schiavo.” The next day, FBI officials took into custody a North Carolina man for placing a $250,000 bounty “on the head of Michael Schiavo” and another $50,000 to murder Judge Greer. And police yesterday said they had “logged several bomb threats” to the hospice where Schiavo died and “the circuit and federal courts that refused to order her feeding tube restored.”

You can read Tom DeLay’s statement here.

From a statement by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) issued yesterday:

Mr. DeLay’s comments today were irresponsible and reprehensible. I’m not sure what Mr. DeLay meant when he said “the time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior.” But at a time when emotions are running high, Mr. DeLay needs to make clear that he is not advocating violence against anyone. People in this case have already had their lives threatened. In just the past few weeks, judges and their families in this country have been brutally murdered. This case has been heartbreaking and tragic enough. It is time for mourning and healing not for more inflammatory rhetoric, and responsible national leaders should understand that and stop this exploitation.

You can read Tom DeLay’s statement here.