Upon the sad news of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, it was reported that her dying wish was that her seat on the Supreme Court would not be filled until after the upcoming presidential election. Now, sitting U.S. Donald Trump has accused Democrats of fabricating a quote, wherein Ginsberg stated her “most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” Politico notes there is no evidence to suggest that Ginsburg’s dying wish was falsified.
Trump made his unfounded claims during an interview on Fox & Friends, saying that the quote could have been written by top Democrat leaders such as the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, the Senate minority leader, or the House speaker. “I don’t know that she said that, or was that written out by Adam Schiff, and Schumer and Pelosi,” the president said. “I would be more inclined to the second, ok you know that came out of the wind, it sounds so beautiful. But that sounds like a Schumer deal or maybe a Pelosi or shifty Schiff.” He later added, “I mean, maybe she did and maybe she didn’t.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
“I don’t know that she said that, or was that written out by Adam Schiff & Schumer & Pelosi? I would be more inclined for the second” — Trump claims Schiff, Schumer, & Pelosi actually wrote RBG’s dying statement, & suggests she’d actually be fine w/him nominating her replacement pic.twitter.com/xLQq1csNTz
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 21, 2020
Schiff has since responded to the accusations from Trump, tweeting, “Mr. President, this is low. Even for you. No, I didn’t write Ruth Bader Ginsburg‘s dying wish to a nation she served so well, and spent her whole life making a more perfect union.” He added, “But I am going to fight like hell to make it come true. No confirmation before inauguration.”
America lost a giant. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was shunned from courtrooms when she began her career because she was a woman.
But she persisted, blazing a trail for millions of women and others who had been excluded or oppressed.
RBG is a lioness of the law. She is irreplaceable.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) September 19, 2020
Ginsberg passed away on Friday, at the age of 87. She had been fighting pancreatic cancer for some time and is reported to have died from complications of the illness. She will be the first woman, ever, to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol, per NBC News reporter Kasie Hunt.
