Ruth Bader Ginsburg: RI Reacts To Supreme Court Justice's Death

The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Friday brought an outpouring of support from political and legal leaders in Rhode Island. Ginsburg, a liberal firebrand who became a legal and feminist icon, died of complications of metastatic pancreas cancer at her home in Washington, D.C. She was 87 years old.

Lawmakers remembered Ginsburg as a "fearless trailblazer and a fierce champion of equality" who "represented the best in our country."

Gov. Gina Raimondo

"Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg spent a lifetime applying her brilliant legal mind to the crucial work of making the United States a more just and equitable nation. She was an inspiration to women around the world. My thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones, and the millions of Americans mourning her passing. It’s on all of us to carry forward her commitment to the founding ideals of our nation."

U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse

"For one night, let us just focus on the career of this remarkable woman; her courage, her grace, her tenacity, her dignity, and her contribution to the law. Ruth Bader Ginsburg represented the best in our country."

U.S. Sen. Jack Reed

U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin

"Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a fearless trailblazer and a fierce champion of equality who inspired millions through her intellect, grace, and passion. Notorious for her devotion to creating a more just world, she opened doors and shattered ceilings throughout her storied career.

I express my deepest condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues, and to all Americans who mourn her passing. Today marks a truly solemn day for our nation as we reflect on the loss of a legal giant whose tireless work in the highest court in the land made our society better for all. To honor her legacy, we must commit ourselves to preserving the democracy and the freedoms she devoted her life to protecting.

Justice Ginsburg once said: ‘I would like to be remembered as someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability.’ Without doubt, she will be remembered – for her courage, for her integrity, and for her work standing up for those whom society had cast to the margins. Rest in peace to an American hero who has forever left her mark on the soul and heart of our nation."

Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea

"We have lost a champion of voting rights, women’s rights, immigration, health care and the values that make our country great.

Thank you Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for always striving to make America live up to its promise. We mourn your loss. We will continue the fight. Rest in peace, RBG."

Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline

"Ruth Bader Ginsburg spent her life fighting for all those who have been left out and left behind in our country, especially women. As one of the founders of the Women's Rights Project at the ACLU, she worked relentlessly to strike down laws that discriminated against women in this country.

As a Supreme Court Justice, she stood steadfast over the past 30 years against right-wing activists who would take away the rights of women to make their own health care decisions. In her later years on the bench, she refused to back down in the face of corporate special interests, fought conservative efforts to gut the Voting Rights Act, and helped move the cause of LGTBQ Americans closer towards full equality. Her death this evening is a loss for our entire country.

In February 2016, following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, Mitch McConnell said, 'The American people should 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.'

Justice Ginsburg evidently agreed with this sentiment. In her final days, she dictated a statement to her granddaughter Clara Spera: 'My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.' We should honor her dying wishes. As we mourn this giant of American jurisprudence, the Senate should wait to fill this vacancy until the American people have selected the next president."

Rhode Island Democratic Chair Joseph McNamara

"It is with profound sadness that we add our voice to the chorus of Americans who share their profound sadness at the passing of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg this evening.

She was an incredible woman: tiny in stature, she was the remarkable ‘RGB,’ who was incredibly humble, smart, bluntly honest, and extraordinarily relatable. She was unafraid to take difficult stances in the most difficult matters, and showed her excellence as a Justice but her humanity in connecting with us all.

The second woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court, her impact will be felt for generations, and her loss will be just as profound. Rest in peace, Justice Ginsburg: you have left us a remarkable legacy and touched so many of us."