CNN
—
The son of the late liberal Supreme Court docket Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg mentioned Sunday that giving an award bearing his mom’s identify to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch is a “desecration of my mom’s reminiscence.”
“I don’t need to communicate to what our different plans is perhaps if the muse doesn’t see the knowledge of desisting and ending this desecration of my mom’s reminiscence, however I’ll say that we will proceed to battle this,” Jim Ginsburg advised Paula Reid on “CNN Newsroom.”
Ginsburg’s household lately sent a letter to the Opperman Foundation, which bestows the award and isn’t affiliated with the household, blasting the choice of this yr’s nominees and requesting her identify be taken off the award.
The Ginsburg award “celebrates leaders who’ve demonstrated extraordinary accomplishments of their chosen fields,” in accordance with the muse. The award “has beforehand acknowledged girls of distinction” however was expanded this yr to incorporate women and men.
Along with Musk and Murdoch, way of life icon Martha Stewart, actor Sylvester Stallone and financier Michael Milken are additionally 2024 recipients of the award. The 2023 honoree was Barbra Streisand.
Requested whether or not he took exception to males now being included within the award or to the recipients themselves, Jim Ginsburg mentioned, “Nicely, we might talk about that, however yeah, the actual awardees, and we will talk about the knowledge of every one, however the two that clearly stand out right here are Elon Musk and Rupert Murdoch.”
“Whenever you consider attempting to create a extra simply society, which after all was Mother’s final aim, these are most likely in regards to the final names that will come to thoughts,” he mentioned.
“I believe she’d be appalled,” he later advised Reid.
The Opperman Basis didn’t reply to an inquiry Friday from CNN. CNN additionally reached out Sunday night time for touch upon Jim Ginsburg’s interview.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a longtime liberal member of the excessive courtroom who died at age 87 in 2020, persistently delivered progressive votes on main social points, together with abortion rights, same-sex marriage and immigration.
The Opperman Basis described the 2024 award recipients as starting from “path-breaking innovators to seasoned veterans throughout a broad vary of professions and industries.”
Within the announcement, the muse mentioned Stewart was on Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s “unique want checklist of potential honorees.” The group credited Musk’s “stratospheric accomplishments” and Murdoch as “essentially the most iconic residing legend in media.”
However Jim Ginsburg mentioned the honorees don’t signify what his mom stood for.
“I suppose these are individuals who just about stand in opposition to all of the issues that she stood for when it comes to attempting to … make the world a greater place, for individuals striving for equality and for a extra inclusive world the place all people is handled with respect,” he added.
CNN’s Tierney Sneed contributed to this report.