The White House dismissed with a joke Wednesday the incendiary comments by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg about Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
“She didn’t earn the nickname ’the notorious RBG’ for nothing,” said White House press secretary Josh Earnest.
But Mr. Earnest said he wouldn’t comment further on the justice’s anti-Trump remarks. He said he similarly refrained from commenting about Justice Antonin Scalia last year when Scalia made remarks in a court hearing “that many found to be quite controversial, possibly even racist.”
In December, three months before he died, Scalia commented during a court hearing that African-American students might fare better in a “slower-track school” rather than more competitive colleges.
Justice Ginsburg has come under from the right and the left for criticizing Mr. Trump, including calling him a “faker” who is unqualified to be president. Federal judges routinely keep quiet about their political views.
Mr. Trump has called for her resignation.
The White House, however, stuck up for Justice Ginsburg’s overall job performance.
“I would not call her competence into question,” Mr. Earnest said. “She’s demonstrated a keen intellect and an understanding of the law and a commitment to ensuring that it’s applied fairly.”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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