Carter on Ginsburg: ‘A beacon of justice’

Former president appointed her to U.S. Court of Appeals
President Jimmy Carter with Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 1980  at the White House. Carter appointed Ginsburg as a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1980. Ginsburg was named to the Supreme Court by Bill Clinton in 1993.

Credit: Carter Presidential Library

Credit: Carter Presidential Library

President Carter greets Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the Oval Office. Carter appointed Ginsburg to the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1980.

Former President Jimmy Carter called Ruth Bader Ginsburg "a beacon of justice,” in a tribute to the late Supreme Court Justice whom he initially appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals and paving her way to the high court.

“Rosalynn and I are saddened by the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg,” Carter said in a statement. “A powerful legal mind and a staunch advocate for gender equality, she has been a beacon of justice during her long and remarkable career.”

Ginsburg, who was already a towering legal figure because of her work with women’s rights, was appointed by Carter to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1980.

On June 14, 1993 Ginsburg accepted President Bill Clinton’s nomination to the Supreme Court and took her seat on August 10, 1993.

“I was proud to have appointed her to the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1980,” Carter said. “We join countless Americans in mourning the loss of a truly great woman. We will keep her family in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”