In a powerful New York Times video essay, U.S. District Judge Esther Salas explains how escalating political attacks are undermining public confidence in the federal judiciary and fueling threats against judges. According to Salas, when politicians dismiss courts and judges as “corrupt,” “rogue,” “deranged,” etc., these comments not only erode respect for the rule of law but also endanger judges and their families.
Judge Salas received the Bolch Judicial Institute’s 2024 Raphael Lemkin Rule of Law Guardian Medal for her work in strengthening laws that protect the physical safety of judges and their families and in 2025, the Institute established The Seeger Weiss/Daniel Anderl Memorial Fund with a donation from Seeger Weiss LLP. The fund is named in memory of Daniel Anderl, the son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas and attorney Mark Anderl. Daniel was killed on July 19, 2020, when an armed assailant targeting Judge Salas came to their home. He was a 20-year-old rising junior at Catholic University who planned to follow in his parents’ footsteps into a legal career. The fund provides support for Bolch Judicial Institute programs that strengthen judicial security while ensuring that courts remain accessible, independent, and responsive to all those seeking justice.
Watch the full video essay here.