“If you disagree with a ruling that we make, appeal us. If you disagree with a sentence we render, appeal us. The answer is not to dehumanize us,” says Judge Esther Salas, a federal district court judge in New Jersey appointed by Barack Obama. “I feel like sometimes our political leaders are playing Russian roulette with our lives,” Salas adds. She’s become a leading voice speaking out against the personal attacks on judges. Last year, 400 federal judges were targets of serious threats, a 78% jump in four years. In a statement to 60 Minutes, the White House said, “As a survivor of two assassination attempts, no one understands the dangers of political violence more than the president.” It went on to accuse the judiciary of “brazen defiance” with its “unlawful rulings.” #judgeesthersalas #uspolitics #federaljudges #judicialsystem