Gov. Inslee Along With Others React To Death Of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

SEATTLE (AP) — Reaction in Washington state to the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died Friday at age 87.

“We have lost one of the greatest American patriots to ever serve on the U.S. Supreme Court,” Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement. “Ruth Bader Ginsburg was so much more than a judge; she was one of America’s greatest champions for justice, in the truest sense of the word. Trudi and I are devastated. I have faith that no matter what happens next, Justice Ginsburg’s legacy will have reshaped America forever. We should all raise our voices to make sure her last wishes are met: Her seat should not be filled until 2021.”

“Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the first Justice I voted for. Tonight, my heart is breaking for a million reasons—for her family, for our country, for my North Star,” U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., wrote on Twitter. “I’ll remember her as a friend, a role model, and a woman who opened doors for all the rest of us with her genius and her relentless pursuit of justice, freedom, and equality for each and every one of us, no matter who we are. That fight for justice, which she led so passionately for so long, is now ours to take up in her memory. Ruth Bader Ginsburg gave her all to us, and I will give mine to making sure the American people have their next President before her seat is filled.”

“Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an exemplary beacon of justice,” Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., said in a statement. “Her life-long work to expand the rights of all Americans has enshrined her mark on the history of our country and will serve as an inspiration for generations to come. Her leadership and honorable service have shaped countless lives for the better, and we are a stronger, more just nation due to her jurisprudence. We mourn the loss of her today, but we continue our fight for justice tomorrow.”

“Justice Ginsburg was a pioneer for women’s rights and gender equality,” U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., wrote on Twitter. “Our country will be forever shaped not only by her service on the court but also from her work arguing landmark cases before it.”

“I am saddened to hear about the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg,” U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash.,” said on Twitter. “My prayers go out to her family, and may she Rest In Peace.”

“Devastating,” Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said on Twitter. “A pioneer who inspired so many, particularly young girls. We must extend her legacy by continuing the fight for true equity, for upholding the constitution, and for a country that lives up to its promise. Thank you, RBG.”

“Rest In Peace, Ruth Bader Ginsburg,” U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., said on Twitter. “She was a pioneer and inspiration to many, especially generations of trailblazers and working moms. My deepest and sincerest condolences are with her family and friends, including her fellow Justices on the Supreme Court of the United States.”

“Justice Ginsburg’s service and accomplishments to our nation as a lawyer and scholar on gender equality and women’s rights are unparalled and historic,” King County Council Chair Claudia Balducci said in a statement. ““As a Justice, her strong, principled and unwavering positions have inspired me personally to stand up for what is right. I mourn her passing and take solace that her legacy will continue as we collectively work to advance the work to make a more just and equitable society.”

“Justice Ginsburg was a giant—our longest-serving female Supreme Court Justice,” U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said on Twitter. “She will be remembered as a fierce warrior against gender discrimination. Every woman who has ever had to advocate for the law owes her a great debt of gratitude. We have lost a real hero. Justice Ginsburg stood by the most vulnerable in her decisions, from ending single sex admission policies and protecting rights for those with mental disabilities to her dissents standing up for voting rights and paving the way for Congress to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which strengthens protections against pay discrimination.”

“For nearly three decades, America benefitted from the wisdom and moral guidance of a woman whose life of service was dedicated to making real a central ideal our nation: justice,” King County Executive Dow Constantince said in a statement. “Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s era on the Supreme Court was itself historic, and her decisions – and of course, her dissents – helped affirm the equal rights of women and, indeed, of every American. It would be the height of hypocrisy – and an immense disservice to the court, the law, and our democracy – to ignore her final wishes and allow this morally bankrupt President and Senate majority to rush through a replacement for this irreplaceable patriot before the voters chart our nation’s course just six weeks from now.”

“Tonight, our nation not only lost a historic member of the highest court in our land but a trailblazer for women everywhere,” U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said in a statement. “In honor of Justice Ginsburg’s inspiring life, her powerful legacy, and her never ending pursuit for justice, let us continue her work. I am committed to continuing the critical work necessary to make our country more equal, more fair, and more just. As one of only 79 women of color to have ever served in the United States Congress, I am fully committed to continuing the legacy of this beloved “shero”: from finally ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment to protecting abortion rights, workers’ rights, LGTBQ+ rights, and civil rights for all. And I am committed to making sure women across the country and throughout the world can blaze their own trails, that they are never held back on the basis of sex — or any identity. May Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s memory be a blessing. And may she rest in power.”Gov