Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts smacked down Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday after the New York Democrat threatened that a pair of conservative justices hearing an abortion case would “pay the price” if they voted to restrict abortion rights.

“This morning, Senator Schumer spoke at a rally in front of the Supreme Court while a case was being argued inside,” Roberts wrote on official Supreme Court letterhead in a rare public rebuke.

“Senator Schumer referred to two members of the Supreme Court by name and said he wanted to tell them that ‘You have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price. You will not know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions,’” Roberts wrote, referring to Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, both appointees of President Trump.

“Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangers. All Members of the Court will continue to do their jobs without fear or favor, from whatever quarter,” Roberts concluded.

The court was hearing a challenge to a Louisiana law that required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, a law opponents said would limit women’s access to abortion in the state.

Schumer was attending a rally outside.

“Sen. Schumer’s comments were a reference to the political price Senate Republicans will pay for putting these justices on the court, and a warning that the justices will unleash a major grassroots movement on the issue of reproductive rights against the decision,” said Schumer spokesman Angelo Roefaro.

“For Justice Roberts to follow the right wing’s deliberate misinterpretation of what Sen. Schumer said, while remaining silent when President Trump attacked Justices Sotomayor and Ginsberg last week, shows Justice Roberts does not just call balls and strikes.”