But we’re glad to see her expressing contrition Thursday for her recent criticism of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in interviews with The Associated Press, The New York Times and CNN.
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TOTENBERG: She issued a statement through the press office to go to everybody that said (reading) on reflection, my recent remarks in response to press inquiries were ill-advised, and I regret making them.
As a brilliant, bold, trailblazing jurist, Bader Ginsburg is someone I’ve long admired, so it is hard to criticize her for speaking her mind, as she has encouraged so many women to do over the years.
The first interview she gave, she said she couldn’t imagine – she didn’t even want to think what the country would be like with Donald Trump as president.
Mr Trump jumped into the fray on Wednesday.
“Justice Ginsburg of the US Supreme Court has embarrassed all by making very dumb political statements about me”.
Trump responded harshly on Twitter, calling for Ginsburg to resign, the Washington Post said her remarks were “inappropriate”, and the New York Times editorial page sided with Trump.
While it’s not surprising that the liberal justice, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, would be no fan of Trump, her harsh words were surprising coming from a sitting Supreme Court Justice.
After an outcry from Trump, other politicians, media organizations and legal scholars, Ginsburg apologized for what she called “ill-advised” remarks.
“She oughta stay out of it”, said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.
Among the things up for grabs would be the future of the Supreme Court, given that there’s already an opening on the court and that Ginsburg is 83, and Justices Anthony Kennedy and Stephen Breyer are in their late 70s. In subsequent tweets, Trump called Ginsburg “incompetent” and wondered whether she would apologize.
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“The price you pay for being on the bench is that you withdraw from politics”, Friedman said. Chief Justice John Roberts worked in the White House counsel’s office during the Reagan administration. But Justice Ginsburg’s comments show why their tradition has been to keep silent. “She would decide the motion herself, however, and it seems likely that this retraction would lead her to reject it”, said Northwestern University law professor Steven Lubet. She may still believe what she said, but she also knows she blundered in saying it.
