1 Justice Ginsburg Has Passed, But Her Legacy Lives On
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died at the age of 87. While understood to be a non-observant Jew, her passing coming during the High Holiday of Rosh Hashanah was not lost on people. How so? According to Jewish tradition, one who dies on the High Holiday is considered a “Tzadik," a title given in Judaism to people considered righteous. As you likely know, the court's eldest justice had suffered a series of health setbacks in her later years, including multiple bouts with cancer. Most recently, she was troubled by pancreatic cancer, but continued working through treatment. It was reportedly metastatic cancer that took her. Born in Brooklyn in 1933, she attended Harvard Law School and Columbia Law School. She was instrumental in beginning the Women's Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union in 1971. She served as General Counsel for the organization from 1973 to 1980 and later on its National Board of Directors. Ginsburg was appointed in 1980 as a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. She was nominated as an Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton and took her seat on the bench August 10th, 1993. Clinton says that he knew she was the right choice after talking to her for ten minutes. She was the second woman to serve on the nation's highest court.
2 The Fight Over Replacing Ginsburg Is On
And you thought fighting over money was bad? With the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it’s all but guaranteed that filling her seat on the Court is going to be a political bloodbath. Republicans want to push through a replacement as soon as possible, Dems want nothing of the sort. For his part, President Trump says he plans to announce a replacement in the coming days – he also maintains it will be a woman. Some of the names the President is rumored to be considering have emerged and the favorite appears to be Amy Coney Barrett, who sits on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. She's a favorite of religious conservatives. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – is leading the charge for many Democrats and she’s promising a fight against any potential nominee. She’s refused to reveal details of any strategy under consideration, but is also refusing to rule anything out. That “anything” may even include another impeachment run.
3 SoCal’s Bobcat Fire Explodes
The threat from the Bobcat wildfire burning in the hills northeast of Pasadena, California leads to new evacuations. As of last night, the fire that began September 6th was burning across more than 100-thousand acres and was at only 15-percent containment. On Friday, strong wind gusts fanned the fire which spread rapidly to the north into Juniper Hills. It is not yet confirmed how many homes have been affected. Evacuation orders and warnings and several road closures cover areas inside and on the north and south peripheries of the fire including parts of Arcadia, Pasadena and Juniper Hills. An unhealthy air quality smoke advisory remains in effect. The Red Cross is working to assist affected families.