Quick Take
Facebook posts falsely claim that the late Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was “nominated and confirmed 43 days before an election.” She was nominated and confirmed more than three years before the next presidential election.
Full Story
The death of Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg six weeks before the 2020 presidential election set off a partisan battle over when her seat on the U.S. Supreme Court should be filled.
That battle is getting even more muddled by misinformation.
One recent falsehood circulating on Facebook claims: “Fun fact: RBG was nominated and confirmed 43 days before an election.”
That’s not true.
Former President Bill Clinton announced his nomination of Ginsburg to the Supreme Court on June 14, 1993. Her nomination was received by the Senate on June 22, 1993. And she was confirmed in a bipartisan vote — with 96 senators voting in her favor — on Aug. 3, 1993.
The next presidential election was on Nov. 5, 1996, more than three years later. The midterm elections were on Nov. 8, 1994, still more than a year later and that election wouldn’t have had the potential to change the president, who makes the nominations to the Supreme Court.
Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here.
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Sources
William J. Clinton Presidential Library. “Announcement of Ginsburg as Supreme Court Justice Nominee.” YouTube. 14 Jun 1993.
U.S. Senate. Nomination. Ruth Bader Ginsburg — Supreme Court of the United States. Accessed 22 Sep 2020.
U.S. Senate. PN422, roll call vote. 3 Aug 1993.
Levy, Michael. “United States presidential election of 1996.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed 22 Sep 2020.
The post Ginsburg Was Confirmed Years Before the 1996 Election appeared first on FactCheck.org.
