Since February, hundreds of unauthorized "pizza delivery terror" incidents have occurred at the homes of federal judges in at least seven U.S. states, raising the possibility of organized intimidation against the judiciary. In particular, there is a commonality in that the judges who have been targeted are handling lawsuits related to the policies of the Donald Trump administration, which has heightened concerns.
On the 11th (local time), The Washington Post reported that these incidents of pizzas being delivered indiscriminately without being ordered have gone beyond mere pranks, escalating into threats against judicial authority. The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) has classified this as organized harassment and intimidation against the judiciary, and has launched an investigation.
Some orders have even been made in the names of the judges' children. According to The Washington Post, there have been recent orders placed in the name of Daniel Anderl, the son of Judge Esther Salas, who was shot and killed by a lawyer posing as a delivery person at his New Jersey home in 2020, adding to the shock.
Judge Michelle Childs, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and president of the Federal Judges Association, stated that she has received seven pizza deliveries over the past few months. According to Judge Childs, the first delivery occurred shortly after she dismissed a motion by government attorneys that would allow them to remove Hampton Dellinger, head of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC). The OSC is an independent federal agency that investigates and penalizes unfair personnel actions and organizational corruption within the government.
Afterwards, whenever Judge Childs publicly spoke about the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law through university lectures or podcasts, the pizza deliveries continued. Judge Childs said, "Now, I don’t open the door when someone rings the bell," adding, "I communicate with delivery people through the intercom installed at the side of the entrance." She further noted that the deliveries had been made through several pizza companies and one delivery app.
Judge Esther Salas lost her son in a similar manner in 2020. At that time, the attorney handling a case Judge Salas oversaw disguised himself as a pizza delivery person, visited her home, and shot and killed her 20-year-old son, Daniel Anderl, before committing suicide. In the process, Judge Salas's husband was severely injured. Judge Salas stated, "As these orders are repeated, they come as a psychological threat," adding that the first message feels like "I know your home," the second like "I know your child's home," and the third like "Do you want to end up like your dead son?"
In particular, Judge Salas expressed extreme mental anguish at the use of her deceased son's name as a tool for intimidation and stated, "This is a clear threat that undermines the very foundation of the judicial system."
These incidents are considered a form of 'swatting' that warns of violence against politicians and others. The incidents have also been reported to the U.S. Congress, and Senator Dick Durbin, the Senate Judiciary Committee's Democratic Whip, has called for an immediate investigation by the Department of Justice and the FBI. Durbin stated, "This is not just a prank; it is a deliberate threat indicating knowledge of the addresses of the judges and their families," demanding an official report on the investigation's progress by the 20th. However, the FBI has stated that it is not responsible since the U.S. Marshals Service is handling the investigation, and the Department of Justice has not provided a clear stance.
Threats against judges have emerged as a serious social issue. According to the U.S. Supreme Court's "Annual Report of the Supreme Court" released last December, threats against judges have increased more than threefold over the past decade.
Former federal judge Paul Michel noted, "The judiciary must be able to make decisions independently without political pressure or physical threats," expressing concern that "the very foundation of the rule of law is being shaken." He referenced the Capitol insurrection that occurred on January 6, 2021, warning, "We must not overlook the fact that there are people who could actually harm judges."