Following the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday, Pennsylvania lawmakers and other officials stepped forward to laud her career.
Ginsburg, who was 87, died of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer.
“Justice Ginsburg was a pioneer for gender equality, a champion for human rights and a fierce defender of workers on an increasingly corporate Supreme Court,” said U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. “Justice Ginsburg served our Nation honorably and with distinction for four decades.
“Her heroic battles with cancer inspired countless Americans,” Casey continued. “I extend condolences to her family and may her memory be a blessing to millions of Americans.”
Casey also made a comment regarding how he feels the Supreme Court vacancy should be handled.
“Consistent with the precedent set by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in 2016, Justice Ginsburg’s seat should not be filled until the presidential election concludes and the candidate chosen by voters is sworn into office,” he said.
U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., similarly celebrated Ginsburg’s career.
“Renowned for her legal intellect and sharp opinions, Justice Ginsburg served on our nation’s highest court for nearly three decades with distinction and honor,” he said. “As just the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg was a trailblazer in the legal profession.”
According to Toomey, Ginsburg was always professional, even when she was talking to someone with different views than her.
“While I usually disagreed with her legal and political views, she proved time and again that it is possible to disagree with someone without being disagreeable,” he said. “Simply put, Justice Ginsburg left an indelible mark that will resonate for generations. I extend my prayers and deepest condolences to Justice Ginsburg’s family, friends, and colleagues.”
David E. Schwager, president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, described Ginsburg’s strength in the justice system.
“Though tiny, standing at 5’1,” Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a giant in the law,” said Schwager. “She was a champion for justice for so many, regardless of race, gender or disability, and a powerful and steadfast defender of the rule of law.”
Ginsburg overcame her own hardships to become someone who motivated others to take similar paths, according to Schwager.
“Overcoming great obstacles of prejudice in the early years, she prevailed and had an extraordinary career as a lawyer, a law professor and a judge,” he said. “Ruth Bader Ginsburg used her life’s work to lift others by passionately advocating for gender equality. She inspired generations of lawyers during her lifetime and she will remain an inspiration for generations to come.”
Ginsburg was a professor then judge in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia before becoming a Supreme Court Justice. She was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1993.
