Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has all the qualities of your favorite grandma: 83 years old, looks great in glasses, makes borderline inappropriate political comments.

The Supreme Court justice came under intense scrutiny this week after publicly criticizing presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump not once, not twice, but three times, calling him a faker, inconsistent, and chastising him for his ego, all while reaching for her passport so she could move to another country pending his inauguration.

Trump did not take it well.

Justice Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court has embarrassed all by making very dumb political statements about me. Her mind is shot – resign!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 13, 2016

RBG isn’t the first to let her doubts about Trump bleed out into newsfeeds, but this is different from the typical political figure because as a SCOTUS justice, she is, by definition, supposed to avoid being political. Despite common knowledge of Ginsburg’s liberal tendencies, her position as a justice calls for objectivity and removal from the political sphere when making court decisions, and many think she may have crossed the line.

Even the @NYTimes and @WashingtonPost Editorial Boards condemned Justice Ginsburg for her ethical and legal breach. What was she thinking?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 13, 2016

Her comments led to a huge debate by legal ethicists and judges nationwide and there is a legitimate fear of a Bush v. Gore sequel, in which Ginsburg would have to recuse herself because she has demonstrated a clear bias against one of the parties.

But on Thursday, RBG did take a couple steps back from the fight. She said in a statement,

On reflection, my recent remarks in response to press inquiries were ill-advised and I regret making them…Judges should avoid commenting on a candidate for public office. In the future I will be more circumspect.

Still, it seems like these two won’t be fast friends if he does make it to the White House.

Samantha Reilly

Samantha Reilly is an editorial intern at Law Street Media. A New Jersey native, she is pursuing a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park. Contact Samantha at SReilly@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Recuse Me, What Did You Say?: RBG and Donald Trump Go Head-to-Head appeared first on Law Street.

Looks like the Red Cross Made A Racist Mistake?

Earlier this month, the Red Cross released posters for pool safety depicting ‘cool’ and ‘uncool’ ways to act around a pool. While pool safety is very important, the imagery used in this particular poster is very worrisome. Only children of color are shown as being unruly and uncool but white children are shown being safe and calm. Why? Because prejudice! People on social media were so ready to call them out:

Hey, @RedCross, send a new pool poster to @SalidaRec bc the current one they have w your name on it is super racist pic.twitter.com/TY8MmFB3Qk

— John Sawyer (@JSawyer330) June 21, 2016

Seriously…did no one #AmericanRedCross see the #unconsciousbias in this ‘super racist’ pool poster https://t.co/Ks7xyMiGZx

— Star Jones (@StarJonesEsq) June 27, 2016

The Red Cross has since ceased production of the posters and issued an official apology. Yikes!

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Monday morning at 9 AM people were lined up outside of the Supreme Court to finally find out what the decision would be in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt. In a surprising turn of events, the decision swung in favor of Texas abortion clinics, striking down strict state regulations that had forced around half of the state’s abortion clinics to close in the past few years. When the 5-3 decision was announced, the crowd went wild. Queen’s “We Are the Champions” played; bystanders chanted; families who were just trying to see the Supreme Court on vacation looked confused but excited to be a part of history. This decision has the potential to be monumental in the world of reproductive rights, which may be why it drew such a large crowd of people from all different backgrounds. The morning was historic and, to capture the feeling of what it was like to be there, here are the top eight signs seen outside the Court as the interns were running to retrieve the decision.

#8 Uterus Inc.

Phoebe’s sign is all about pointing out the irony in some conservatives’ opinions. So the government should have no ability to regulate a large corporation, but can tell a woman what she can or cannot do with her body? Perfectly alright.  

Image Courtesy of Alex Simone for Law Street Media

Alexandra Simone

Alex Simone is an Editorial Senior Fellow at Law Street and a student at The George Washington University, studying Political Science. She is passionate about law and government, but also enjoys the finer things in life like watching crime dramas and enjoying a nice DC brunch. Contact Alex at ASimone@LawStreetmedia.com

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Today, hundreds of pro-choice supporters rallied in front of the Supreme Court. Oral arguments will be heard today in Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt, a case that will cause the justices to weigh in on the constitutionality of Texas’s new controversial abortion laws. Given the high stakes nature of the case–it could set national precedent for abortion laws either way it goes–protestors set out for the Supreme Court this morning, and I headed over to check it out and grab some photos of the attendees.

The new Texas regulations place additional restrictions on abortion providers, many of which are viewed as unnecessarily burdensome. Proponents of the Texas law argue that they’re trying to protect women’s health; opponents argue that the laws are just backdoor attempts to prevent abortion access in the state. The Texas provisions fall under the category of “TRAP laws,” a.k.a. targeted regulations of abortion providers. Eric Zorn of the Chicago Tribune describes the general purposes of the laws, stating that: “in most cases they compel abortion clinics to meet the architectural, equipment and staffing standards of outpatient surgical centers, and to be staffed by doctors who have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.” While those sound in theory like good ideas, they are excessive, medically unnecessary, and ultimately just make it harder for abortion providers to operate.

Despite the incredibly windy and blustery morning, the scene at SCOTUS today was crowded and enthusiastic. The event, which was organized by a number of pro-choice groups, featured men, women, and a few adorable dogs, as well as prominent pro-choice speakers. A common refrain from the crowd was “Stop the Sham,” a rallying cry that has also reverberated around social media in the form of a hashtag: #StoptheSham.

Rights don’t matter if you can’t access them. #WeWontGoBack #StopTheSham pic.twitter.com/mrDI8PWi2Q

— Planned Parenthood (@PPact) March 2, 2016

I’m with you all in spirit!! #SCOTUS #stopthesham #WeWontGoBack https://t.co/EjVddYnGBZ — Wendy Davis (@wendydavis) March 2, 2016

Today the Court hears argument in #WholeWomansHealth, the most important repro rights case in 20 years #StopTheShampic.twitter.com/4qhUyGqxjC

— Notorious R.B.G. (@NotoriousRBG) March 2, 2016

And on a lighter, final note, no rally in front of the Supreme Court would be complete without some fantastic protest signs. Check out some of my favorites in the slideshow below:

Image courtesy of [Anneliese Mahoney via Law Street Media]

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post #StoptheSham: Scenes from the Pro-Choice Rally at SCOTUS appeared first on Law Street.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been having one hell of a week. From one feminist-hero one-liner after another (totally agree, RBG, nine is just the right number of women on the bench) and admitting that she (like the rest of the rest of America) wasn’t “100 percent sober” when she nodded off at this year’s State of the Union, Notorious RBG continued to ride her own personal wave of awesomeness. Check out the slideshow below for the best legal tweets of the week dedicated to Justice Ginsburg.

[SlideDeck2 id=34411 ress=1]

Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is pretty much the best. At 81, she’s cooler than I could ever hope to be. I would very much like to be her friend. Or she can be my mentor/life coach. Either way, you should all aspire to be friends with RGB too, and here are just a few of the reasons why.

She’d Be a Great Drinking Buddy

This article was inspired by the comments Ginsburg made yesterday about why she looked so sleepy at last month’s State of the Union.

RBG is my spirit animal MT @voxdotcom I wasn’t “100% sober” at the State of the Union http://t.co/dpXnb4gwPupic.twitter.com/jTbVqyBolE

— Erin K. Stabile (@erinkstabile) February 13, 2015

She explained that she wasn’t “100 percent” sober, after she had enjoyed a “very fine California wine” brought to dinner by fellow Justice Anthony Kennedy.

That’s right, kids, our Supreme Court Justices–at least two of the cool ones–pre-gamed the State of the Union.

She’d Motivate You to Work Out

I would like to point out again, RBG is 81 years old. That being said, she has been working out with a personal trainer since 1999. She explained her workout routine, saying :

I do a variety of weight-lifting, elliptical glider, stretching exercises, push-ups. And I do the Canadian Air Force exercises almost every day.

Although she had some health concerns in November, I bet she’s still prioritizing her health and hitting the gym. Meanwhile, I am 100 percent sure I could not do anything called “Canadian Air Force exercises,” so I could really use a work out buddy like RBG to kick my ass into gear.

She’d Definitely Be Down for a Galentine’s Day Party

When asked at what point Ginsburg believes there are enough women on the Supreme Court, she had an awesome answer: when there are nine. She went on to explain that there were nine men for many years, so why not try out nine women?

She’s long been a strong feminist who isn’t afraid to put her views out there. She also is aware of the fact that she’s an outlier from a generation where women weren’t necessarily given the same opportunities as men. She at one point remembered:

My mother told me two things constantly. One was to be a lady, and the other was to be independent. The study of law was unusual for women of my generation. For most girls growing up in the ’40s, the most important degree was not your B.A., but your M.R.S

I can’t think of a better role model for young women who want to pursue their dreams.

She Knows When to Put Differences Aside for the Sake of Friendship

RBG can teach us that just because you disagree with someone doesn’t mean that they don’t have something they can teach you. She and fellow justice Antonin Scalia are basically polar opposites when it comes to beliefs and views. That being said, they can put that all aside and still have a great time together. For many years they had a tradition of spending New Years Eve together along with their spouses. They’ve traveled together–once even riding an elephant together on a trip to India. Another time in France, she went parasailing, although Scalia sat that one out. Being friends with people who force you to defend your opinions and see things a different way is a good thing–Scalia and Ginsburg are absolutely proof of that.

If you can’t get enough of Scalia and Ginsburg’s friendship, there’s actually a one-act comedic opera dedicated to the two. This is the plot:

What happens when Supreme Court justices go before a Higher Power? In this comic opera, Justices Ginsburg and Scalia must pass through three cosmic trials to secure their freedom. The catch: they may have to agree on the Constitution.

Both Ginsburg and Scalia saw it, and liked it.

She’s Very Sassy and Quotable

RBG is well known for her expertly crafted decisions. In the recent Hobby Lobby case, her dissent was nothing short of withering. She called the decision one of “a startling breadth,” and ended with this pretty awesome last paragraph:

In the Court’s view, RFRA demands accommodation of a for-profit corporation’s religious beliefs no matter the impact that accommodation may have on third parties who do not share the corporation owners’ religious faith—in these cases, thousands of women employed by Hobby Lobby and Conestoga or dependents of persons those corporations employ. Persuaded that Congress enacted RFRA to serve a far less radical purpose, and mindful of the havoc the Court’s judgment can introduce, I dissent.

Or how about this quote in her dissent against the decision that gutted the Voting Rights Act:

Throwing out preclearance when it has worked and is continuing to work to stop discriminatory changes is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.

What a BAMF.

So there are a lot of reasons to love RBG, and I didn’t even mention her groundbreaking and brilliant legal career. Either way, she’s definitely a woman who should get a hell of a lot of respect, and if there’s anyone who should be allowed to drink wine and then fall asleep at the State of the Union, it’s her.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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