Planned Parenthood Action Fund Statement on Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Death

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, September 18, 2020

CONTACT: Planned Parenthood Action Fund Media Office; 212-261-4433; [email protected]

Planned Parenthood Action Fund Statement on Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Death

Washington -- President of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund Alexis McGill Johnson issued the following statement on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death this evening.

“This is a shocking and painful loss for our country and our court. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s voice, spirit, values, and words will be deeply missed.

“Justice Ginsburg committed her life to protecting the rights, freedoms, and health of women, men, and people across the country. She was a true trailblazer who inspired millions of girls and women to fight through sexism and discrimination to make America a better place to work, to live, and to love.

“Her powerful words over the years, even and perhaps especially in those moments when she spoke so powerfully in dissent, have helped push our laws and our nation toward equality, freedom, and opportunity for all.

“Tonight we honor that legacy, but tomorrow, we’re going to need to get to work to preserve the ideals she spent her life’s work defending. Because this is not an understatement: The fate of our rights, our freedoms, our health care, our bodies, our lives, and our country depend on what happens over the coming months. In her own words, ‘My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.’

“To be very clear, it would be an absolute slap in the face to the millions of Americans who honor and cherish Justice Ginsburg’s legacy if President Trump and Mitch McConnell were to replace her with someone who would undo her life’s work and take away the rights and freedoms for which she fought so hard.

“Congress should not launch another divisive Supreme Court nomination fight like we had with Justice Kavanaugh — it should instead focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, families, public health, ending state-sponsored racism and violence, and economic recovery.

“On behalf of Planned Parenthood’s 16 million supporters and people across the country whose lives and rights would be in jeopardy if President Trump was able to confirm another nominee to the highest court in the land, we vow to honor the legacy of Justice Ginsburg and approach the coming months like the future of our country depends on it — because it absolutely does.”

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Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational, advocacy and electoral activity, including grassroots organizing, legislative advocacy, and voter education.