ALL EYES ON GINSBURG RECOVERY
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will miss work next week, but the court said she’s “on track” for a return from lung cancer surgery.
But that hasn’t stopped speculation about her tenure on the court and President Trump’s rare opportunity to possibly nominate another justice.
Politico is reporting that the White House is reaching out to political allies and conservative activist groups to prepare for an ailing Ginsburg’s possible death or departure. Ginsburg, 85, was nominated to the court by President Bill Clinton in 1993.
The White House “is taking the temperature on possible short-list candidates, reaching out to key stakeholders, and just making sure that people are informed on the process,” Politico reported quoting a source.
Ginsburg’s departure would allow Trump to nominate a third Supreme Court justice — the most in one presidential term since President Ronald Reagan placed three judges on the court during his second term.
That’s sure to enrage Democrats and liberal activists still furious over the October confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said that doctors for Ginsburg confirmed an initial evaluation that found no evidence of remaining cancer following surgery.
The court’s oldest justice had surgery three weeks ago to remove cancerous growths on her left lung. She was released from the hospital in New York four days later and has been recuperating at home since then.
Ginsburg missed three days of arguments this week, the first time that’s happened since she joined the court in 1993. She has had two previous bouts with cancer, in 1999 and 10 years later.
The court is scheduled to hear another round of arguments next week, and then go on a midwinter recess for several weeks.
“Justice Ginsburg will continue to work from home next week and will participate in the consideration and decision of the cases on the basis of the briefs and the transcripts of oral arguments,” the court said.
What she’ll miss is a challenge to a Wisconsin drunken driving law that has parallels in other states and an appeal from a group representing food retailers to prevent the release of information about the federal food stamp program to a South Dakota newspaper.