United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died today of cancer at the age of 87 , just weeks before the November 3 general election.
In the statement that announced his death, the head of that court, John Roberts, said that the United States lost a jurist of historic stature and all the magistrates “have lost a dear companion.”
Today we are in mourning, but we are confident that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her, a tireless and determined champion of justice , added the magistrate.
Nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1993, Ginsburg was the oldest judge of the nine who make up the Supreme Court .
The judge had been in that instance for almost three decades, and became the second woman in history to hold a position in this court , after dedicating her career to the defense of women’s causes and civil rights.
Before the November 2016 presidential election, Bader Ginsburg, considered the liberal leader of the high court, called Donald Trump a “phony”, prompting the real estate mogul to demand her resignation and she was forced to recant having issued that opinion.
The Supreme Court is made up of nine judges with life positions and currently five are considered conservative and four liberal.
Experts point to the possibility that a few weeks before the general elections on November 3, President Trump will immediately appoint the replacement of Ginsburg; the Senate also in a quick move could confirm the nomination and thus the Republicans manage to maintain a conservative majority .
About an hour after a Supreme Court spokesman confirmed Ginsburg’s death from pancreatic cancer, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell promised to allow an Upper House vote to endorse his possible take over if Trump nominates another magistrate for the job .
However, the leader of the Senate Democratic minority, Charles Schumer, said that the post that Ginsburg vacated after her death should be filled with a nomination of the candidate of one or the other party that wins the November presidential elections .
In practical terms, Trump now has the opportunity to transform the Supreme Court from a fragile conservative majority of 5-4 to a dominant supermajority of 6-3, which could have long-term implications that would affect the daily life of the country, notes this Friday the newspaper The Hill.
(With information from Prensa Latina)