US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg died on Friday at the age of 87 due to complications caused by pancreatic cancer. Ginsberg was the first Jewish woman (and second woman ever) appointed to the court. She has been a liberal icon for upholding civil liberties, reproductive rights, first amendment rights and equal protection under the law, however negatively affected many Native American’s rights on the Sherrill v. Oneida Indian Nation case.
A few days before her death Ginsberg told her granddaughter that she didn't want to be replaced until a "new president is installed". She has been outspoken of her distaste toward the US president - she openly criticized him for his "ego" and said she did not "even want to contemplate" his impact on the court.
The news of her death was met with alarm as many fear that the Republicans would install a third Trump nominee into the court. With nearly 6 weeks to the elections, the president still has plenty of time to appoint a justice.
It is important to note that after the death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016, McConnell refused to allow the Senate to consider the then-president Barack Obama’s nominee to fill the vacancy, saying that a Supreme Court nomination should not be taken up during an election year. Trump has vowed to replace Ginsberg "without delay". At a rally in North Carolina on Saturday, Trump said, "I will be putting forth a nominee next week. It will be a woman,".
Ginsburg's death has injected an element of volatility into the presidential race, with questions about what it will mean for the battle for the women's vote. Trump's popularity among college women has taken a hit in his time as a president and now he has his focus on what he calls the "suburban housewives". Now the future of the landmark Roe v Wade ruling on abortion rights is firmly on the ballot.
Written by Anushree Appandairajan
Artwork by Aurora Brooks
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