Ruth Bader Ginsburg “Regrets” Her Comments On Donald Trump

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg apologized on Thursday for her public criticism of presumptive GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, The Associated Press reports. "On reflection, my recent remarks in response to press inquiries were ill-advised, and I regret making them," Ginsburg said. The liberal Supreme Court associate justice had come under fire for remarks she made to CNN earlier in the week, in which she called Trump a “faker” who “has no consistency.” “He says whatever comes into his head at the moment. He really has an ego…How has he gotten away with not turning over his tax returns? The press seems to be very gentle with him on that,” she said on Monday. Trump lashed back later that day on his favored platform.

However, Trump, who is known for being relatively thin-skinned to criticism, was not alone in his response. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, said that Ginsburg’s comments were “totally inappropriate,” and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-WI, called them “out of place.” Ginsburg isn’t the first justice to get involved in electoral politics, either. Politico points out that there’s a long and storied history of justices getting involved in politics, from advising presidents on policy to actually running for president themselves. Supreme Court justices traditionally stay out of electoral politics, but it’s not technically required. The Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges prohibits judges from “[making] speeches for a political candidate, or publicly [endorsing] or [opposing] a candidate for public office,” but it doesn’t apply to Supreme Court justices, though they usually adhere to it. Nevertheless, Ginsburg didn't break any rules by commenting on Trump's candidacy — only form.