Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) blocked an amendment to a Senate resolution intended to honor the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg after Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) attempted to add language to it emphasizing that her “dying wish” was to be replaced after the inauguration.
In what is already turning into a heated Senate battle over the late justice’s replacement, the ceremonial resolution was tabled on Tuesday after Cruz and Schumer went back and forth on whether it was too politicized, according to The Dallas Morning News.
“Republicans came to us with this resolution, but it ignored Justice Ginsburg’s dying wish — what she called her ‘most fervent wish’ — that she not be replaced until a new president is installed. So we simply have added it to the exact same text of the resolution that the Republicans gave us,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.
“All the kind words and lamentations about Justice Ginsburg from the Republican majority will be totally empty if those Republicans ignore her dying wish and instead move to replace Justice Ginsburg with someone who will tear down everything she built,” Schumer continued. He singled out abortion, gay marriage, union rights, and healthcare as the main issues he fears will crumble under a Trump-appointed justice.
Cruz, in response, said, “Unfortunately, the Democratic leader has put forth an amendment to turn that bipartisan resolution into a partisan resolution.”
“Specifically, the Democratic leader wants to add a statement that Justice Ginsburg’s position should not be filled until a new president is installed, purportedly based on a comment Justice Ginsburg made to family members shortly before she passed,” he added.
Ginsburg reportedly dictated to her granddaughter, “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” Democrats have since used that as a reason to urge a delay in naming her replacement, but Republicans have maintained that Ginsburg’s wishes are irrelevant to what the Constitution requires.
“That, of course, is not the standard,” Cruz said. “Under the Constitution, members of the judiciary do not appoint their own successors.”
The senator floated the idea of adding a statement instead that made note of the fact that Ginsburg opposed court-packing, which many leading Democrats have threatened to do if Republicans replace her.
Schumer hit back, saying, “Justice Ginsburg would easily see through the legal sophistry of the argument of the junior senator from Texas. To turn Justice Ginsburg’s dying words against her is so, so beneath the dignity of this body.”
President Donald Trump has gone so far as to speculate that Ginsburg’s dying wish is a hoax ginned up by Democratic leadership.
Cruz was savaged on social media as news of the failed resolution spread, often without mentioning the reason why.
Author Paul Rudnick likened Cruz to a lint trap, a rotting log, driver’s ed teachers fired for sexual harassment, and a sandwich found in a locker.
Ted Cruz is trying to block a Senate resolution honoring RBG. Ted, who calls marriage equality "the darkest hour of our nation" has a day job as:
1) a washer/dryer lint trap
2) a rotting log
3) every drivers ed teacher fired for sexual harassment
4) a sandwich found in a locker pic.twitter.com/1bZsWvIp0f— Paul Rudnick (@PaulRudnickNY) September 23, 2020
Salon writer Amanda Marcotte called Cruz “total scum,” “a misogynist [pig],” and “a hypocrite” who lives off his wife and “takes advantage of women’s gains, and then sh*ts all over [them].”
Not only is Ted Cruz total scum, like many of these misogynist pigs, he's a hypocrite. He has his career because his wife has been their family breadwinner, bankrolling him with her Goldman Sachs job. He takes advantage of women's gains, and then shits all over us. https://t.co/yBkvsmPllX
— Amanda Marcotte (@AmandaMarcotte) September 23, 2020
Writer Kelly Scaletta said, “This is not about her naming her replacement. It is about Ted Cruz not wanting her dying wish read because he doesn’t like her dying wish. Period. Full stop. End of story.”
Republicans, as always, are creating a strawman argument.
This is not about her naming her replacement. It is about Ted Cruz not wanting her dying wish read because he doesn't like her dying wish. Period. Full stop. End of story.
— Machine Pun Kelly (@KellyScaletta) September 23, 2020
Many less prominent and anonymous Twitter users railed against Cruz in even more vulgar, mean-spirited ways.
Correction: This article was updated to clarify that Cruz blocked an amendment to the resolution honoring Ginsburg, not the resolution itself.