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| Donald Trump Calls Ruth Bader Ginsburg, His Critic, a ‘Disgrace’ | Donald Trump Calls Ruth Bader Ginsburg, His Critic, a ‘Disgrace’ |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| WASHINGTON — Donald J. Trump described Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Tuesday as a “disgrace” to the Supreme Court after she expanded on the criticism of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee that she first voiced last week. | WASHINGTON — Donald J. Trump described Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Tuesday as a “disgrace” to the Supreme Court after she expanded on the criticism of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee that she first voiced last week. |
| In an interview published online by CNN on Tuesday, Justice Ginsburg called Mr. Trump “a faker” who has “an ego” and has been treated too gently by the press. She said Mr. Trump “says whatever comes into his head at the moment” and has no consistency in his thinking. | In an interview published online by CNN on Tuesday, Justice Ginsburg called Mr. Trump “a faker” who has “an ego” and has been treated too gently by the press. She said Mr. Trump “says whatever comes into his head at the moment” and has no consistency in his thinking. |
| Justice Ginsburg’s comments came just days after she said she could not imagine the impact of a Trump presidency. “For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be — I don’t even want to contemplate that,” Justice Ginsburg said in an interview on Friday with The New York Times. | Justice Ginsburg’s comments came just days after she said she could not imagine the impact of a Trump presidency. “For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be — I don’t even want to contemplate that,” Justice Ginsburg said in an interview on Friday with The New York Times. |
| In an interview with The Associated Press, she said something similar. | In an interview with The Associated Press, she said something similar. |
| Mr. Trump responded on Tuesday, lashing out at Justice Ginsburg, who was nominated to the court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton, the husband of Hillary Clinton, Mr. Trump’s rival for the White House. | Mr. Trump responded on Tuesday, lashing out at Justice Ginsburg, who was nominated to the court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton, the husband of Hillary Clinton, Mr. Trump’s rival for the White House. |
| “I think it’s highly inappropriate that a United States Supreme Court judge gets involved in a political campaign, frankly,” Mr. Trump said in a telephone interview. “I think it’s a disgrace to the court, and I think she should apologize to the court. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it.” | “I think it’s highly inappropriate that a United States Supreme Court judge gets involved in a political campaign, frankly,” Mr. Trump said in a telephone interview. “I think it’s a disgrace to the court, and I think she should apologize to the court. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it.” |
| While justices of the Supreme Court have frequently been targets of presidential candidates, it is unusual for a justice to criticize a candidate. Justice Ginsburg’s comments have incited an intense debate among legal ethics experts, some of whom said the comments were inappropriate for a sitting justice and could compromise the integrity of the court. | While justices of the Supreme Court have frequently been targets of presidential candidates, it is unusual for a justice to criticize a candidate. Justice Ginsburg’s comments have incited an intense debate among legal ethics experts, some of whom said the comments were inappropriate for a sitting justice and could compromise the integrity of the court. |
| Richard W. Painter, a professor of law at the University of Minnesota and a former ethics counsel for President George W. Bush, said Justice Ginsburg’s blunt criticism could provide Mr. Trump with ammunition to try to undermine the moral authority of the Supreme Court. | |
| “It is really unwise of her to do this,” Mr. Painter said. “This is not a good situation, and I think that she would have been well advised not to have made any of those comments.” | “It is really unwise of her to do this,” Mr. Painter said. “This is not a good situation, and I think that she would have been well advised not to have made any of those comments.” |
| Supreme Court justices are not subject to any specific code of conduct. But parties to a case before the court can make a formal request that a justice recuse herself from a case if they believe a conflict of interest exists. | Supreme Court justices are not subject to any specific code of conduct. But parties to a case before the court can make a formal request that a justice recuse herself from a case if they believe a conflict of interest exists. |
| Mr. Painter said he did not believe Justice Ginsburg’s comments would justify a recusal, but he said the remarks would give Mr. Trump ammunition to make a public relations case that the justice could not treat him fairly. | Mr. Painter said he did not believe Justice Ginsburg’s comments would justify a recusal, but he said the remarks would give Mr. Trump ammunition to make a public relations case that the justice could not treat him fairly. |
| That would be particularly damaging, he said, if Mr. Trump was elected president and the court considered the legitimacy of some of his policies like imposing a religious test on immigrants or forcibly removing immigrants from the country. | That would be particularly damaging, he said, if Mr. Trump was elected president and the court considered the legitimacy of some of his policies like imposing a religious test on immigrants or forcibly removing immigrants from the country. |
| “We do not want to be in a situation where a president could argue that interpretations of the Supreme Court lack authority,” Mr. Painter said. He added that if Mr. Trump wins, “there are significant presidential power questions that the court is going to need to address.” | “We do not want to be in a situation where a president could argue that interpretations of the Supreme Court lack authority,” Mr. Painter said. He added that if Mr. Trump wins, “there are significant presidential power questions that the court is going to need to address.” |
| A debate about Justice Ginsburg’s comments was raging Tuesday on Legal Ethics Forum, a website devoted to discussion about how lawyers and judges should behave. Steven Lubet, a legal scholar, wrote that Justice Ginsburg’s comments were an example of why the Supreme Court should adopt a specific code of conduct to guide its actions. | A debate about Justice Ginsburg’s comments was raging Tuesday on Legal Ethics Forum, a website devoted to discussion about how lawyers and judges should behave. Steven Lubet, a legal scholar, wrote that Justice Ginsburg’s comments were an example of why the Supreme Court should adopt a specific code of conduct to guide its actions. |
| “Even if it were unenforceable, a code would at least formalize public expectations for the justices’ conduct,” Mr. Lubet wrote. “It could begin with a rule against political activity, and it could include a prohibition on commentary about issues that are likely to come before the court.” | “Even if it were unenforceable, a code would at least formalize public expectations for the justices’ conduct,” Mr. Lubet wrote. “It could begin with a rule against political activity, and it could include a prohibition on commentary about issues that are likely to come before the court.” |
| Mr. Trump, who has not been shy about criticizing judges during his bid for the White House, predicted that Justice Ginsberg’s comments would backfire and help him win. | Mr. Trump, who has not been shy about criticizing judges during his bid for the White House, predicted that Justice Ginsberg’s comments would backfire and help him win. |
| “It’s so beneath the court for her to be making statements like that,” Mr. Trump said. “It only energizes my base even more. And I would hope that she would get off the court as soon as possible.” | “It’s so beneath the court for her to be making statements like that,” Mr. Trump said. “It only energizes my base even more. And I would hope that she would get off the court as soon as possible.” |