Schumer Calls To Keep Ginsburg's Seat Open 'until We Have A New President'

“Tonight, we mourn the passing of a large in American historical past, a champion for justice, a trailblazer for ladies. She would need us all to struggle as laborious as we will to protect her legacy,” Schumer wrote.

Ginsburg died on Friday attributable to issues of metastatic pancreas most cancers, the courtroom introduced. She was 87.

Senate Republicans, who maintain the bulk within the higher chamber, solely want 51 votes to substantiate a brand new justice as soon as one is formally nominated — and Republican leaders have already previously vowed to fill any potential Supreme Court docket emptiness this yr if one had been to happen. Republicans presently management 53 seats.

Earlier this yr, Senate Majority Chief Mitch McConnell reiterated his place that the GOP-led Senate would affirm a nominee to any Supreme Court docket emptiness that occurred this election yr, regardless of leaving a seat vacant in 2016 and stopping President Barack Obama’s nominee from consideration.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, expressed his condolences over Ginsburg’s passing Friday night.

“It was with nice disappointment that I discovered of the passing of Justice Ginsburg. Justice Ginsburg was a trailblazer who possessed great ardour for her causes. She served with honor and distinction as a member of the Supreme Court docket,” Graham tweeted.

LIVE UPDATES: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died

He went on to say, “Whereas I had many variations together with her on authorized philosophy, I respect her service to our nation. My ideas and prayers are together with her household and pals. Could she Relaxation In Peace.”

Ginsburg was appointed in 1993 by President Invoice Clinton and lately served as probably the most senior member of the courtroom’s liberal wing, constantly delivering progressive votes on probably the most divisive social problems with the day, together with abortion rights, same-sex marriage, voting rights, immigration, well being care and affirmative motion.

This story is breaking and might be up to date.

CNN’s Ted Barrett, Manu Raju, Veronica Stracqualursi and Joan Biskupic contributed to this report.

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