"Judges Break Their Silence" virtual event July 31 will expose the rising threat to judicial independence and democracy

LOS ANGELES, July 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Speak Up for Justice, a national nonpartisan movement, will host a landmark virtual forum on Thursday, July 31, where sitting federal judges will speak publicly—some for the first time—about the bomb threats, swatting incidents, and coordinated harassment campaigns targeting members of the judiciary.

Titled "Judges Break Their Silence: Attacks, Intimidation & Threats to Democracy," the event will feature firsthand accounts from judges who have been doxxed, swatted, and had pizzas delivered to their homes under the name of Daniel Anderl—the 20-year-old son of Judge Esther Salas, who was murdered in a 2020 targeted attack. These acts are part of a disturbing trend meant to intimidate judges and send a chilling message: We know where you live.

Federal judges rarely speak publicly, typically only through written rulings. But as threats escalate and judicial independence comes under siege, these judges are stepping forward to warn that the rule of law itself is in jeopardy.

The forum will take place virtually on Thursday, July 31 at 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT. Registration is open at www.SpeakUpForJustice.law.

"Speak Up for Justice is a nonpartisan movement that intends to address the independence of our judiciary, the safety of our judicial officers, and the importance of our justice system," said Paul Kiesel, attorney and founder of Speak Up for Justice. "Never before, in my view, in this country has our justice system played a more vital role in our democracy than it does today."

Featured Judges and Panelists:

• Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. (Rhode Island) – Faced violent threats after a ruling, including a pizza delivery in Daniel Anderl's name.
  
  
• Judge Robert S. Lasnik (Washington) – After speaking out against anti-judicial rhetoric, both he and his son received pizzas under Daniel's name.
  
  
• Judge John C. Coughenour (Washington) – Swatted and targeted with a bomb threat after a ruling upholding birthright citizenship.
  
  
• Judge Esther Salas (New Jersey) – Targeted in a deadly attack that killed her 20-year-old son, Daniel Anderl, Judge Salas has since become a national advocate for judicial security and reform.
  
  
• Judge Karoline Mehalchick (Pennsylvania) – Chief Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and incoming President-Elect of the Federal Bar Association (FBA).
  
  
• Andrea La'Verne Edney (Mississippi) – Immediate Past President of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and a vocal defender of judicial integrity.

What Speakers Will Discuss:

• The rising wave of threats and harassment against judges, including swatting, doxxing, and bomb threats
• The psychological and personal toll on judges and their families
• The alarming use of "pizza doxing" and other intimidation tactics tied to the murder of Daniel Anderl
• How attacks on the judiciary threaten the rule of law and democratic institutions
• The role legal professionals, institutions, and the public must play to defend judicial independence

As attacks on the judiciary escalate to crisis levels, the July 31 Speak Up for Justice forum offers a rare and urgent opportunity to hear directly from judges under threat. The event sends a clear message: intimidation will not silence those who uphold the rule of law.

Legal professionals, media, and concerned citizens are urged to register and join the movement to protect judicial independence and American democracy. Register at www.SpeakUpForJustice.law.

About Speak Up for Justice

Founded by attorney Paul Kiesel, Speak Up for Justice is a nonpartisan movement of legal professionals, judges, and advocates dedicated to defending the independence of the judiciary, promoting accountability, and protecting democracy from political interference in the courts.

Media Contacts:

Kathy Fowler

Email: kathleen@onthemarcmedia.com

Phone: 410-963-2345

 

Marc Silverstein

Email: marc@onthemarcmedia.com

Phone: 202-716-9123

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SOURCE Kiesel Law