By Aaron Miller-
An armed man who wanted to kill Brett Kavanaugh, one of the judges on the US Supreme Court, has been arrested near his house.
Nicholas John Roske, 26, carried a gun, a knife and zip ties and was dressed in black when he arrived by taxi just after 1 am outside Mr Kavanaugh’s home in a Washington suburb.
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Increased protection for the justices has been increased ahead of an expected controversial abortion rights ruling.
Mr Roske of Simi California was taken into custody around 1 am local time (6:00 BST).
According to an affidavit filed in US District Court, a man – later identified as Mr Roske – was spotted by two US Deputy Marshals while getting out of a taxicab in front of the home of a Supreme Court Justice. He was carrying a suitcase and a backpack Mr Roske then turned to walk down the street.
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He had a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a knife, zip ties, pepper spray, duct tape and other items that he told police he would use to break into Kavanaugh’s house and kill him, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in federal court in Maryland.
Roske admitted purchasing the gun to kill Kavanaugh and that he also would kill himself, the affidavit added.
Mr Roske said he was “upset” about the leaked Supreme Court document on abortion as well as the recent mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, according to the affidavit.
He said he believed Justice Kavanaugh would issue rulings that would loosen gun control regulations.
Mr Roske was found to have a Glock 17 pistol, pepper spray, zip ties, a hammer, screwdriver, crow bar and duct tape in his possession.
If convicted, Mr Roske faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for attempted murder of a United States judge, though actual sentences for federal crimes are usually less than the maximum penalties.
In May, the leaked document indicated a majority of US Supreme Court justices planned to support overturning the historic decision that gives women a constitutional right to an abortion.
The draft opinion, authored by conservative Justice Samuel Alito and published by Politico, would uphold a Mississippi law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and overturn the Roe decision.
Pro-abortion and anti-abortion demonstrators protest outside the U.S. Supreme Court after the leak of a draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito preparing for a majority of the court to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion rights decision later this year, in Washington, U.S.,
Roske also told police he was upset over the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, and believed Kavanaugh would vote to loosen gun control laws, the affidavit said.
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