Ruth Bader Ginsburg's family outraged as foundation gives namesake award to Elon Musk and Rupert Murdoch after years of only honoring women

Ruth Bader Ginsburg's family has denounced and award in her named being given to Elon Musk and Rupert Murdoch, among others.

The Opperman Foundation has since 2020 bestowed the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Leadership Award to extraordinary people.

Actor Sylvester Stallone, financier Michael Milken, and fashion icon Martha Stewart will receive the award this year along with Musk and Murdoch.

Ginsburg, the legendary late Supreme Court justice, consistently supported progressive positions during her 27 years on the bench.

Her family lashed out at the foundation's choices as 'an affront to the memory of our mother and grandmother', without singling out the two conservative billionaires.

'Not everyone on this year's slate reflects the values to which the Justice dedicated her career, and for which the Justice is rightly revered around the world,' they said.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg 's family has denounced and award in her named being given to Elon Musk and Rupert Murdoch , among others

The foundation, Ginsburg's family said, 'has strayed far from the original mission of the award and from what Justice Ginsburg stood for'.

'Her legacy is one of deep commitment to justice and to the proposition that all persons deserve what she called 'equal citizenship stature' under the Constitution,' the family said. 

'She was a singularly powerful voice for the equality and empowerment of women, including their ability to control their own bodies.'

Her family said it had no role in selecting who got the award, and wanted Ginsburg's name removed from it. 

Ginsburg was friends with fellow lawyer Dwight Opperman and approved an award in her name before her death on September 18, 2020, aged 87.

The award originally recognized 'an extraordinary woman who has exercised a positive and notable influence on society and served as an exemplary role model in both principles and practice'.

Musk was honored for his 'stratospheric accomplishments' by the Opperman Foundation

However, the foundation changed the award this year to be open to men as well.

'Justice Ginsburg fought not only for women but for everyone,' foundation chair Julie Opperman said when she announced the awards. 

'Going forward, to embrace the fullness of Justice Ginsburg's legacy, we honor both women and men who have changed the world by doing what they do best.' 

Trevor Morrison, a former dean of New York University School of Law who was a clerk for Ginsburg, also spoke out against the recipients. 

'Each of this year's awardees has achieved notable success in their careers, and each may well deserve accolades of one form or another,' he said.

'But the decision to bestow upon them the particular honor of the RBG Award is a striking betrayal of the Justice's legacy.'

Morrison said it was 'deeply worrisome' that they 'exhibit none of the values that animated the Justice's career, and none of the things that she herself emphasized when celebrating the inauguration of the RBG Award'.

Murdoch was called 'the most iconic living legend in media'

The Opperman Foundation said it had no response to the criticism of its selections.

It described this year's honorees as 'path-breaking innovators to seasoned veterans across a broad range of professions and industries'.

Stewart was 'original wish list of potential honorees', Musk was honored for his 'stratospheric accomplishments', and Murdoch was 'the most iconic living legend in media'.

Murdoch said in a statement recognizing his award drew comparisons between his work and Ginsburg's values.

'This recognition not only reflects my journey in the media and publishing industry but also represents the relentless defense of civil liberties and a commitment to civil discourse that Justice Ginsburg embodied,' he said.