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Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dies at 87, Sparking a Deluge of Tributes and a Fierce Succession Battle

HeadlineSep 21, 2020

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died at the age of 87. She passed away Friday at her home in Washington, D.C., surrounded by family, after succumbing to complications from pancreatic cancer.

Ginsburg served on the Supreme Court for 27 years. She was just the second woman to join the court, after she was appointed by Bill Clinton in 1993. She was the most prominent member of the court’s liberal wing, a strong supporter of reproductive rights, women’s rights, expanding LGBT rights and preserving President Obama’s Affordable Care Act.

Ginsburg’s death came just 46 days before the November election, setting off a fierce succession battle and sparking fears over the future of Roe v Wade. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed to hold a vote on a new justice, even though he refused to hold confirmation hearings in 2016 for President Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland, after Justice Antonin Scalia died.

Days before her death, Ginsburg dictated a final statement to her granddaughter. It read, “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.”

If the Senate confirms Trump’s nominee, it will give conservatives a 6-to-3 advantage on the court. In 2017, Ruther Bader Ginsburg spoke to the BBC about the current state of the U.S., and its future.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: “I am optimistic, long run. A great man once said that the true symbol of the United States is not the bald eagle, it is the pendulum. And when the pendulum swings too far in one direction, it will go back.”

Mourners paid tribute to Ginsburg around the country with vigils and gatherings. A makeshift memorial formed in front of the Supreme Court.

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