>>>
>>> THE
>>> THE EYES OF THE SUPREME COURT ARE FLYING AT HALF MAST
AND THERE IS AN IMPROMPTU VIGIL
TO HONOR JUSTICE RUTH BADER
GINSBURG.
GINSBURG.
GINSBURG. GINSBURG DIED TODAY AT THE AGE
OF 87, METASTATIC AND CREDIT
CANCER.
CANCER.
CANCER. SHE WAS ONLY THE SECOND WOMAN
BORN INTO THE COUNTRY'S HIGHEST
COURT.
COURT.
COURT. SHE CHAMPIONED GENDER EQUALITY
AS THE LEADER OF THE SUPREME
COURT'S LIBERAL WING.
TRACY POTTS LOOKS BACK AT HER
LONG CAREER, HER LIFE, AND HER
LEGACY.
LEGACY.
LEGACY. >> Reporter: JUSTICE RUTH BADER
GINSBURG SPENT MORE THAN A
QUARTER-CENTURY ON THE U.S.
SUPREME COURT AND SPENT MUCH OF
HER CAREER FIGHTING FOR
EQUALITY.
EQUALITY.
EQUALITY. >> HOW WRONG IT IS TO JUDGE
PEOPLE ON THE BASIS OF WHAT
THEY LOOK LIKE.
>> Reporter: BORN IN BROOKLYN,
SHE TIED FOR FIRST IN OUR
CLASSICAL BE A LAW BUT WITH NO
JOB OFFERS FROM LAW FIRMS, SHE
TAUGHT AT COLUMBIA THAT HELPED
LAUNCH THE ACLU WOMEN'S RIGHTS
PROJECT IN THE 70s.
LATER AS THEIR LAWYER, SHE WON
FIVE OF SIX CASES BEFORE THE
U.S. SUPREME COURT.
>> HER ULTIMATE GOAL WAS TO GET
SEX DISCRIMINATION TREATED BY
THE SUPREME COURT THE SAME WAY
THAT RACE DISCRIMINATION WAS
TREATED.
TREATED.
TREATED. >> Reporter: FROM THE COURT OF
APPEALS, CLINTON MADE HER THE
SECOND FEMALE ON THE NATION'S
HIGHEST COURT.
HIGHEST COURT. SHE CONTINUED TO EVEN THE
PLAYING FIELD.
PLAYING FIELD. SHE ENDED MAIL ONLY COLLEGE
ADMISSIONS, SUPPORTED
ADMISSIONS, SUPPORTED REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, AND LGBTQ
COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY. WHILE HER RULINGS LEAN LIBERAL,
OFF THE BENCH SHE WAS CLOSE
FRIENDS WITH THE LATE
CONSERVATIVE JUSTICE ANTONIN
SCALIA.
SCALIA.
SCALIA. ENTER 80 SHOULD BECAME POPULAR
WITH THE NEW GENERATION,
CELEBRATED IN THE BOOK THE
NOTORIOUS BIG AND WAS ON
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.
>> YOU CAN'T GET RID OF ME.
>> A WHOLE NEW GENERATION OF
YOUNG PEOPLE WHO REALLY ADMIRED
HER I THINK OF HER AS KIND OF A
ROCK STAR.
ROCK STAR. >> Reporter: SHE SPOKE OUT
ABOUT THE METOO MOVEMENT.
>> IT IS AS EFFECTIVE FOR THE
WOMEN AND MAIDS IN THE HOTELS
AS IT IS FOR HOLLYWOOD STARS.
>> Reporter: A WIFE, A MOTHER,
A GRANDMOTHER, AND ADVOCATE FOR
EQUALITY.
EQUALITY.
EQUALITY. FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY.
TRACY POTTS, NBC NEWS.
>>> THE JUSTICES DEATH IS NOT
UNEXPECTED AND BECAME POLITICAL
IMMEDIATELY.
IMMEDIATELY. ACCORDING TO NPR JUSTICE
GINSBURG GAVE THE STATEMENT TO
HER GRANDDAUGHTER JUST DAYS
AGO.
AGO.
AGO. "MY
AGO. "MY MOST FERVENT WISH IS THAT I
WILL NOT BE REPLACED UNTIL A
NEW PRESIDENT IS INSTALLED."
THE SUPREME COURT WAS ALREADY A
CONTENTIOUS ISSUE BEFORE THIS,
HEADING INTO A PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION, AND GINSBURG'S DEATH
CERTAINLY ELEVATES THAT.
LATE TONIGHT MAJORITY LEADER
MITCH McCONNELL SAID IN A
STATEMENT THAT A TRUMP NOMINEE
WILL GET A VOTE OF THE FULL
SENATE.
SENATE.
SENATE. JANEL KLIEN CONTINUES OUR TEAM
COVERAGE ON THE POLITICAL
FALLOUT FROM THE SPACE GINSBURG
LEAVES BEHIND.
LEAVES BEHIND. >> Reporter: SHE WAS CALLED
NOTORIOUS, KNOWN AS THE
CHAMPION FOR WOMEN'S RIGHT AND
RUTH BADER GINSBURG WAS A
PIONEER AND THE MARK ON OUR
NATION IS MEASURABLE.
>> HER LEGACY IS AMAZING.
FEW PEOPLE IN HISTORY GET MORE
FOR WOMEN'S EQUALITY THAT SHE
DID.
DID.
DID. >>
DID. >> SO HELP ME GOD.
MEXICO HELP ME GOD.
>> Reporter: THAT LEGACY
INCLUDES FAME FOR CASES SHE WON
AND THOUGH SHE LOST, WRITING
DISSENTING OPINIONS SHE SAID
COULD SHAPE LAW IN THE FUTURE.
I BELIEVE SHE EXPLAINED THE
2014 VISIT TO THE EU.
>> LIKE OUR SOCIETY, IT CAN
EVOLVE.
EVOLVE.
EVOLVE. >> Reporter: IT IS REDACTED --
SUPREME COURT IS EVOLVING WITH
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO WILL FILL
HER SEAT AND WHETHER IT WILL
HAPPEN BEFORE NOVEMBER'S
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. AMY KLOBUCHAR SERVES ON THE
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE --
CONSIDER ALL SUPREME COURT'S
NOMINATIONS AND TONIGHT SHE
CALLS GINSBURG AN ICON AND
HERO.
HERO.
HERO. >>
HERO. >> NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE
HER PLACE BUT THE PERSON THAT
DOES SHE CARRY ON HER FIGHT.
>> Reporter: CLOTURE RESPONDED
HOURS AFTER HER PASSING TO
MITCH McCONNELL, WHO WROTE IN
PART, PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NOMINEE
WILL RECEIVE ABOUT ON THE FLOOR
OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
A DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO HIS
2016 ARGUMENT THE CONFIRMATION
HEARING SHOULD NOT BE HELD
CLOSE TO A PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION.
ELECTION.
ELECTION. >> WE HOLD HIM TO HIS WORDS FOR
OVER A YEAR WHEN HE ASSISTED
INSISTED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
SHOULD HAVE A SAY AND I THINK
THEY WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY
ABOUT THIS.
ABOUT THIS. JANEL KLIEN, KARE 11 NEWS.
>>> HERE'S HOW THE NOMINATION
PROCESS WORKS.
PROCESS WORKS. FIRST NOMINATIONS ARE SENT TO
THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
AND THAT IS WERE CONFIRMATION
HEARINGS HAPPEN.
HEARINGS HAPPEN. THEY ARE GRILLED BY LAWMAKERS
ABOUT THEIR VIEWS.
THEN THE COMMITTEE VOTES ON
WHETHER THE NOMINEES SHOULD
MOVE FORWARD.
MOVE FORWARD. IF THAT HAPPENS, THE FULL
SENATE WILL THEN VOTE AND THE
NOMINEE