United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away on Friday evening at age 87 following a battle with metastatic pancreas cancer.
A release from the Supreme Court outlined that the liberal icon died while surrounded by family at her home in Washington, D.C. She is survived by her two children, Jane Carol Ginsburg (George Spera) and James Steven Ginsburg (Patrice Michaels); four grandchildren, Paul Spera (Francesca Toich), Clara Spera (Rory Boyd), Miranda Ginsburg and Abigail Ginsburg; two step-grandchildren, Harjinder Bedi and Satinder Bedi; and one great-grandchild: Lucrezia Spera.
Ginsburg was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton in 1993. She was the second woman appointed to the Court and served more than 27 years.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, she received her B.A. from Cornell University, attended Harvard Law School and received her LL.B. from Columbia Law School. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable Edmund L. Palmieri, Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, from 1959–1961. From 1961–1963, she was a research associate and then associate director of the Columbia Law School Project on International Procedure. She was a Professor of Law at Rutgers University School of Law from 1963–1972, then Columbia Law School from 1972–1980 and a fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences in Stanford, California from 1977–1978. In 1971, she was instrumental in launching the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. Ginsburg served as the ACLU’s General Counsel from 1973–1980 and on the National Board of Directors from 1974–1980. She was appointed a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1980 by President Jimmy Carter
A private interment service will reportedly be held at Arlington National Cemetery.
The news of her passing rocked the nation on Friday night; reactions poured in from across the country, including from the two Alabamians running for the U.S. Senate in November’s general election.
President Trump hearing about RBG’s death for the first time… Wow. pic.twitter.com/EDRR2a9sWs
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) September 19, 2020
U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) released a statement, which read as follows:
This news is a devastating loss for our country and for all those who have been inspired by the inimitable Justice Ginsburg during her long and historic career. Justice Ginsburg led a life guided by principle and filled with purpose. A true trailblazer in the legal field in her own right, she inspired generations of young women to reach for heights that previously felt impossible. Through her quiet dignity, her willingness to bridge political divides, and her steady pursuit of justice, she was a standard-bearer for positive leadership.
Her bold dissents in the Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and Shelby County v. Holder cases are particularly meaningful to me, and to so many in Alabama and across the country. She stood for what was right and for the constitutional principles of equality and democracy that she held dear, even if it meant she was in the minority on the Court. As only the second woman to ever serve on the Court, she made full use of her opportunity to serve as a voice for women on the bench.
Beyond her legal acumen, Justice Ginsburg will also be remembered for her sharp wit, her tireless advocacy for voting rights, and her historic role in fighting for a more equal society for women across the country. She will be greatly missed.
Louise and I extend our sincerest condolences to Justice Ginsburg’s loved ones. We’re praying for them as they grieve this tremendous loss.
Republican U.S. senatorial nominee Tommy Tuberville reacted in social media posts.
“Justice Ginsburg should be honored for her service to our nation as a trailblazing attorney and as a jurist,” Tuberville said. “She fought hard for her beliefs and carried the respect of her fellow justices, liberal and conservative alike. I am certain that at this moment, Justice Antonin Scalia is greeting his old friend at the Pearly Gates.”
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
