President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dying wish that she’s not replaced before the election, claiming with no evidence that Democrats actually authored the late justice’s death statement.
Days before she died, Ginsburg dictated a statement to her granddaughter Clara Spera that said: “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.”
Now, not only has Trump ignored that wish to press ahead with naming a new Supreme Court nominee before the election, he’s baselessly cast doubt on whether RBG actually said it at all.
“I don’t know if she said that, or was that written out by Adam Schiff or Schumer and Pelosi. I would be more inclined to the second. That came out of the wind, it sounds so beautiful, but that sounds like a Schumer deal or maybe Pelosi or shifty Schiff. That came out of the wind,” Trump said during a Monday morning call with Fox & Friends.
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Even by his standards, it was a shockingly callous statement.
After joking that he’d like to nominate Fox & Friends host Ainsley Earhardt as RBG’s successor, Trump said he’ll announce his nomination Friday or Saturday, depending on when the funeral takes place.
He praised three rumored contenders—Judges Amy Coney Barrett, Barbara Lagoa, and Allison Jones Rushing—and said there’s a total of five in the running, one of whom is 38 years old. “She could be there for 50 years,” he said.
Trump also confirmed that he wants his nominee to be approved before the Nov. 3 election, telling the hosts: “We won the election, we have the right to do it, and we have a lot of time, we have plenty of time. I think the vote, the final vote, frankly, should be taken before the election. We have plenty time for that… I think it should go very quickly.”
He went on to challenge the Democrats to impeach him for a second time if they want to prevent the new conservative appointment.
“I heard yesterday, if I do it, they’re going to impeach me. They’re impeaching me for doing, constitutionally, what I have to do. Then we win all elections if they do that… My numbers will go up,” Trump predicted.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden blasted Republicans on Sunday and said that “the United States constitution allows Americans the chance to be heard… they should make it clear, they will not stand for this abuse of power.”
Watch:
Trump on RBG's reported dying wish that next pres fills her seat: "I don't know that she said that, or was that written out by Adam Schiff and Schumer and Pelosi. I would be more inclined to the second … But that sounds like a Schumer deal or maybe a Pelosi or Shifty Schiff." pic.twitter.com/zE979kK2Q3
— The Recount (@therecount) September 21, 2020
