U.S. Justice Ginsburg released from
hospital after cancer surgery
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[December 27, 2018]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme
Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 85, has been released from the
hospital after undergoing cancer surgery, a court spokeswoman said on
Wednesday.
"Justice Ginsburg was discharged from the hospital yesterday and is
recuperating at home," spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said in a statement.
The liberal justice underwent surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer
Center in New York on Friday to remove two cancerous nodules in her left
lung.
There was no evidence of any remaining disease after the removal of the
two nodules, both of which were found to be cancerous, Arberg said on
Friday, citing the thoracic surgeon, Dr. Valerie Rusch. No further
treatment was planned, she said.
Ginsburg, one of the court's nine justices, broke three ribs in a fall
last month. The nodules were found as part of the tests the justice
underwent after the fall, Arberg said.
As the oldest justice, Ginsburg is closely watched for any signs of
deteriorating health. Ginsburg, appointed by Democratic President Bill
Clinton in 1993, also is the senior liberal member of the court, which
has a 5-4 conservative majority.
If she were unable to continue serving, Republican President Donald
Trump could replace her with a conservative, further shifting the court
to the right. Trump already has put two conservatives on the court since
becoming president in January 2017 and a potentially dominant 6-3
conservative majority would have major consequences for issues including
abortion, the death penalty, voting rights, gay rights and religious
liberty.
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U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen
during a group portrait session for the new full court at the
Supreme Court in Washington, U.S., November 30, 2018. REUTERS/Jim
Young/File Photo
Ginsburg has recovered from previous medical issues. She was treated
in 1999 for colon cancer and again in 2009 for pancreatic cancer but
did not miss any argument sessions either time. In 2014, doctors
placed a stent in her right coronary artery to improve blood flow
after she reported discomfort following routine exercise. She was
released from a hospital the next day.
The justices are scheduled to hear their next round of arguments on
Jan. 7.
In recent years she has become something of a cult figure for
liberals and known by the nickname "Notorious RBG," after the late
rapper Notorious BIG.
A documentary film, "RBG," was released earlier this year and a
feature film about her life, "On the Basis of Sex," made its debut
in theaters this week.
(Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Writing by Mohammad Zargham; Editing
by Tim Ahmann and Bill Trott)
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