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By Alia Shoaib and Shane Croucher
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Judge Diane Goodstein told the Daily Mail that she is "alright" in her first comment since her South Carolina home burned down, the cause of which is unknown and under investigation. Her husband, former Democratic State Senator Arnold Goodstein, was reportedly injured after he jumped from the house to escape the fire.
Goodstein, a South Carolina Circuit Court judge, did not provide any further information to the Daily Mail, though the outlet noted that she sounded “cheerful” over the phone.
The State Law Enforcement Division, which is investigating the incident, told Newsweek in an emailed statement: "The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating a house fire that occurred on Saturday, October 4, 2025, in Colleton County. SLED’s investigation is active and ongoing. More information may be available as the case continues."
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Newsweek reached out to the Colleton County Fire-Rescue and Judge Goodstein for comment via email on Monday.
Why It Matters
Authorities have not released any information about the possible cause of the fire, and there is no evidence to suggest it was arson at this time.
Still, the incident has drawn attention to the recent sharp criticism of judges by President Donald Trump and officials in his administration, and the threats they face more broadly, as highlighted by the recent jailing of the would-be assassin of conservative Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
What To Know
Captain K.C. Campbell from the Colleton County Fire Rescue told The Post and Courier that three people had been hospitalized following the fire.
A neighbor, Tom Peterson, told the outlet that among those injured was the judge’s husband after he leapt from the home. He said that the former state senator was rescued using a canoe and rope to extract him from a marshy area behind the house.
Peterson added that the judge was walking her dogs on the beach when the blaze began.
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Goodstein had issued a ruling last month temporarily blocking South Carolina from sharing millions of voters’ personal data with the Trump administration. In her decision, the judge said that handing over the data could cause “immediate and irreparable damage” by violating citizens’ privacy rights.
South Carolina’s Supreme Court later reversed Goodstein’s ruling, which had been criticized by the state’s Republican Governor Henry McMaster and Department of Justice official Harmeet Dhillon.
The fire at Goodstein’s home has sparked renewed scrutiny of recent rhetoric from Trump allies who have accused some judges of political bias against conservatives.
On Saturday, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller wrote on X that “far-left Democrat judges” were protecting a “growing movement of leftwing terrorism,” while X CEO Elon Musk, a former Trump adviser, endorsed a post calling to impeach “corrupt judges.”
Republicans have pushed back against any suggestion that the fire at Goodstein’s home was an incident of arson that could be blamed on partisan rhetoric.
Democratic Representative Daniel Goldman of New York claimed in a post on X that Republicans, including Trump and Miller, have been "doxxing and threatening judges who rule against Trump, including Judge Goodstein."
Miller responded on X by calling Goldman "deeply warped and vile" and accused him of spreading "libelous madness."
What People Are Saying
South Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice John Kittredge told FITSNews: “At this time, we do not know whether the fire was accidental or arson. Until that determination is made, Sled chief Mark Keel has alerted local law enforcement to provide extra patrols and security.”
What Happens Next
An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
Update 10/6/25, 11:29 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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