Updated Sep 18, 2020 - Politics & Policy
What they're saying: Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a "tireless and resolute champion of justice"
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Ruth Bader Ginsburg speaking in February. Photo: Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
Democratic and Republican lawmakers along with other leading figures paid tribute to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died on Friday night at age 87.
What they're saying: “Our Nation has lost a jurist of historic stature," Chief Justice John Roberts said. "We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn, but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her — a tireless and resolute champion of justice.”
- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: "The Senate and the nation mourn the sudden passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the conclusion of her extraordinary American life."
- "...Justice Ginsburg was thoroughly dedicated to the legal profession and to her 27 years of service on the Supreme Court. Her intelligence and determination earned her respect and admiration throughout the legal world, and indeed throughout the entire nation, which now grieves alongside her family, friends, and colleagues."
- Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.): "Justice Ginsburg was a trailblazer who possessed tremendous passion for her causes. She served with honor and distinction as a member of the Supreme Court."
- Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.): "Tonight, we mourn the passing of a giant in American history, a champion for justice, a trailblazer for women. She would want us all to fight as hard as we can to preserve her legacy."
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: "Justice Ginsburg embodied justice, brilliance and goodness, and her passing is an incalculable loss for our democracy and for all who sacrifice and strive to build a better future for our children. Every family benefited from her brilliant legacy and courage ... We must honor Justice Ginsburg’s trailblazing career and safeguard her powerful legacy by ensuring that the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court upholds her commitment to equality, opportunity and justice for all."
- Attorney General Bill Barr: "On behalf of the Department of Justice, I extend my deepest sympathy on the passing on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Justice Ginsburg led one of the great lives int he history of American law ... [S]he will perhaps be remembered most for inspiring women in the legal profession and beyond. She and I did not agree on every issue, but her legal ability, personal integrity, and determination were beyond doubt."
- Rep. Jerry Nadler: "Ruth Bader Ginsburg has left an indelible mark on this country, and her loss will be deeply felt. She will be remembered for her brilliant mind, her razor sharp wit, and her tenacious and lifelong fight to protect the rights of women in this country. In a year of incalculable loss, may we pause for a moment to honor this remarkable woman who never backed down from a fight and was never afraid to stand up for what she believed."
- House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer: "On issues such as gender discrimination, voting rights, access to health care, same-sex marriage, campaign finance, and immigration, Justice Ginsburg has left an indelible impact on the law and on our nation."
- Anthony D. Romero, American Civil Liberties Union executive director: “During the 1970s, Ginsburg led the ACLU in a host of important legal battles, many before the Supreme Court, that established the foundation for the current legal prohibitions against sex discrimination in this country and helped lay the groundwork for future women’s rights advocacy. ... She leaves a country changed because of her life’s work."
- Stephanie Schriock, president, Emily's List: “Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was not just a groundbreaking woman and only the second woman ever to serve on the Supreme Court. Throughout her entire career, she was a leader in the legal fight for women's rights. She was a hero, an icon, and an inspiration for so many of us. She was a fierce protector of women's rights, civil rights and reproductive rights, and she will be greatly missed"
- Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah): "Justice Ginsburg served our nation with a deep reverence for the law and our Constitution. Her fight for women's equality inspired all women to pursue their dreams without limits, and her grit, character and sharp wit made her an iconic and inspirational jurist beloved by people young and old."
- Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.): "Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a giant. The world is a different place because of her. More than the laws she forged are the lives she touched. She will always be an American icon—breaking barriers w/courage & conviction, & letting nothing stop her from the classroom to the courtroom."
- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor: “Her work was as careful as it was creative, as disciplined as it was visionary. It will endure for as long as Americans retain their commitment to law.”
- Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah): "Justice Ginsburg devoted her entire life to reading, interpreting, and understanding the law. To describe her as a gifted lawyer and jurist who had a profound influence on our country is an understatement. My thoughts and prayers are with her and her family."
- Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.): "Even those who disagreed with many of her decisions recognize Justice Ginsburg was a woman of extraordinary intellect & an American who had a historic impact on the court & the nation. May she Rest In Peace."
- Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.): "It is with a solemn heart that I pray for the family of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Thank you for your service to our country and our nation’s highest court. Our nation mourns the loss of a trailblazing leader."
- Sen. Rand Paul (R-Pa.): "My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Ruth Bader Ginsburg tonight. She leaves a legacy of thoughtful public service, a dedication to the law, and a life of great accomplishment. May she Rest In Peace."
- Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.): "I am so, so saddened by the news that Ruth Bader Ginsburg has passed. Justice Ginsburg was a trailblazer and an extraordinary jurist who devoted her life to advancing the causes of equality and justice. We are in her debt.May her memory be a blessing to us all."
- Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa): "She was a trailblazer in so many ways and for so many people. Her sharp legal mind, tenacity and resilience leave a remarkable imprint on our nation and her legacy will live on for generations to come."
- White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Fox News' "Hannity": "She's really paved the path. Tonight we honor her legacy and I've heard the president say just how much he admired her career and trajectory ... She was an overcomer."
- Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and husband Doug Emhoff: "For all who believe in the power of the law as a force for change, Justice Ginsburg was and will always be a titan. She was a relentless defender of justice in our country and a legal mind for the ages."
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