After seeing that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and conservative media tycoon Rupert Murdoch were selected honorees this year, the family of the late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wants her name removed from an award.
The Ginsburg family lamented that the Opperman Foundation had “strayed far from the original mission of the award and from what Justice Ginsburg stood for” in choosing this year’s awardees, according to a statement that AWN got from the family.
The family of Justice Ginsburg has stated that they are unaffiliated with the award and has criticised the selection of recipients as a “affront” to his memory.
They went on to say that Trevor Morrison, a former clerk at Ginsburg, had written a letter that the family fully endorses. “(N)ot everyone on this year’s slate reflects the values to which the Justice dedicated her career, and for which the Justice is rightly revered around the world,” the letter concludes.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed away at the age of 87 in 2020, was a staunch progressive who cast progressive votes on a number of important social issues, including immigration, same-sex marriage, and abortion rights.
The list of honorees includes not only Musk and Murdoch but also Martha Stewart, Sylvester Stallone, and investor Michael Milken.
“Celebrates leaders who have demonstrated extraordinary accomplishments in their chosen fields,” the foundation announced Wednesday in announcing the Ginsburg award.
This year’s statement clarified that the prize “has previously recognised women of distinction” in addition to other groundbreaking male and female figures. It was Barbra Streisand who was honoured in 2023.
Justice Ginsburg worked for all people, not just women, according to foundation chair Julie Opperman’s statement that accompanied the announcement this week. “Looking ahead, in honour of Justice Ginsburg’s legacy in its entirety, we pay tribute to men and women who have made a difference through their work.”
On Friday, AWN reached out to the Opperman Foundation, but they had yet to answer.
The recipients were characterised by the foundation as “seasoned veterans across a broad range of professions and industries” as well as “path-breaking innovators.”
The foundation named Stewart as one of Ginsburg’s “original wish list of potential honorees” in its statement. Their praise for Musk was based on his “stratospheric accomplishments.”
Murdoch was hailed by the group as “the most iconic living legend in media.”
The announcement was accompanied by a statement from Murdoch, who stated, “This recognition not only reflects my journey in the media and publishing industry but also represents the relentless defence of civil liberties and a commitment to civil discourse that Justice Ginsburg embodied.” That was part of the foundation’s statement.
While the Ginsburg family did not specify any particular beneficiaries in their statement or letter to Morrison, they did state that the justice’s name should not be attached.
“Each of this year’s awardees has achieved notable success in their careers, and each may well deserve accolades of one form or another,” wrote Morrison, who also served as the dean of the New York University School of Law for a period.
“However, it is a shocking betrayal of the Justice’s legacy to decide to give them the RBG Award,” he continued.
