Presidents, lawmakers, and justices react to the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in October 2019.
Erin Clark for The Boston Globe via Getty

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at the age of 87 on Friday due to complications from cancer.
Ginsburg was the second woman appointed to the United States' highest court and served for 27 years, becoming a judicial, progressive, feminist, and pop culture icon.
Lawmakers from across the aisle praised Ginsburg and her legal legacy.
Several Democrats also called for the vacancy she leaves on the Supreme Court not to be filled until after November's election, reigniting a high-stakes political battle.
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Chief Justice John Roberts

"Our nation has lost a jurist of historic stature. 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," Roberts said in a statement, according to CNN's Jake Tapper.

Hillary Clinton

"Justice Ginsburg paved the way for so many women, including me. There will never be another like her. Thank you RBG," Clinton tweeted.

Former President Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter George Floyd Sunday School — Jimmy Carter joined all of the other living former presidents in speaking out about the death of George Floyd and subsequent protests.
AP Photo/John Amis

"She has been a beacon of justice during her long and remarkable career. I was proud to have appointed her to the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1980," Carter told ABC News in a statement.

Former President George W. Bush

President George W. Bush speaking during a cancer roundtable at the National Institutes of Health on January 17, 2007.
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"Laura and I join our fellow Americans in mourning the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She dedicated many of her 87 remarkable years to the pursuit of justice and equality, and she inspired more than one generation of women and girls. Justice Ginsburg loved our country and the law. Laura and I are fortunate to have known this smart and humorous trailblazer, and we send our condolences to the Ginsburg family," Bush said in a statement to ABC News.

Sen. Bernie Sanders

"The passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a tremendous loss to our country. She was an extraordinary champion of justice and equal rights, and will be remembered as one of the great justices in modern American history," Sanders tweeted.

Sen. Patrick Leahy

"Marcelle and I are overcome with sadness. Almost exactly a year ago Marcelle introduced Justice Ginsburg during an Action For Cancer Awareness event, a memory that Marcelle will always treasure. Justice Ginsburg was brilliant and was a legend of the law. She has become a heroine and even an icon to millions of Americans. She was also unmistakably kind and funny, and a fundamentally decent human being.

Difficult days are ahead. And Senators McConnell and Graham must not treat this President's Supreme Court nominees differently than President Obama's Supreme Court nominees. They must exhibit a shred of integrity and recognize that abandoning their word now, and breaking all precedents by ramming a nominee through — most likely after the election — would cause the nation tremendous pain.

But tonight I will simply reflect on Justice Ginsburg's life and legacy. I am so thankful for every day she spent here with us, serving the American people with unparalleled grace, integrity, and an unyielding sense of equality and justice.

May she rest in peace and power," Leahy said in a statement to Business Insider.

Sen. Dick Durbin

"The Supreme Court's most valiant lady is gone. Rest in peace, Ruth," Durbin tweeted.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal

"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 was soft-spoken and slight in stature, but packed a mighty punch. She will always be a uniquely American icon – breaking barriers with courage and conviction, and letting nothing stop her from the classroom to the courtroom.

As to the appointment of Justice Ginsberg's successor, I couldn't improve on what Mitch McConnell said after Justice Scalia's death: The American people must have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.

This close to the election, there is no way that the United States Senate can or should act before the voters decide," Blumenthal said in a statement to Business Insider.

Sen. Mike Lee

"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," Lee tweeted.

Sen. Cory Booker

FILE PHOTO: Democratic presidential candidate Senator Cory Booker speaks during the Teamsters Vote 2020 Presidential Forum in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, U.S., December 7, 2019. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton — FILE PHOTO: Democratic presidential candidate Senator Cory Booker speaks during the Teamsters Vote 2020 Presidential Forum in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Reuters

"Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a true giant, an American hero and a warrior for justice. Our country mourns her loss deeply—we must honor her by carrying on her legacy of fairness and equality," Booker tweeted.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

"Ruth Bader Ginsburg lived an extraordinary life. She fought to ensure equal protection in our laws, fearlessly dissented and defended, and was a powerful role model for us all. I'm devastated to hear of her passing. Thank you, Justice Ginsburg. Rest in power," Gillibrand tweeted.

Sen. Patty Murray

"Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the first Justice I voted for. Tonight, my heart is breaking for a million reasons—for her family, for our country, for my North Star.

"I'll remember her as a friend, a role model, and a woman who opened doors for all the rest of us with her genius and her relentless pursuit of justice, freedom, and equality for each and every one of us, no matter who we are.

"That fight for justice, which she led so passionately for so long, is now ours to take up in her memory. Ruth Bader Ginsburg gave her all to us, and I will give mine to making sure the American people have their next President before her seat is filled."

—Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) September 19, 2020

Rep. Jerrold Nadler

Jerry Nadler — Aurora Samperio/NurPhoto via Getty Images

"Justice Ginsburg has left an indelible mark on this country, and her loss will be deeply felt. In a year of incalculable loss, may we pause for a moment to honor this remarkable woman who was never afraid to stand up and fight for what she believed. May her memory be a blessing," Nalder, a Democrat from New York and the House Judiciary Committee, tweeted Friday.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows

"Joining the whole nation tonight in mourning the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg—a trailblazer, a dedicated public servant, and an inspiration to so many. My prayers are with her family and friends," Meadows tweeted.

Sen. Cory Gardner

Cory Garner and Roy Blunt — Alex Wong/Getty Images

"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," Garner tweeted.

Sen. Tom Cotton

"I extend my condolences to the family of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for their loss. She dedicated her life to public service, and now she is at peace," Cotton tweeted.

Sen. Bill Cassidy

"Justice Ginsburg's death adds to the tragedies of 2020. While Americans mourn, we can also celebrate her pursuit of justice, her service to country and the gracious resilience with which she lived," Cassidy tweeted.

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