Inside the bond between Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg trends now
The full extent of the unlikely friendship between late Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsberg is revealed in a new biography.
Despite their political divides – Scalia was a staunch conservative and Ginsberg was a liberal icon – the two shared affectionate notes about their work.
A biography of Scalia's early years by journalist James Rosen says that they bonded while serving at the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, long known as a stepping stone to the Supreme Court.
Scalia: Rise to Greatness reveals that Ginsburg praised Scalia for a 'beautifully done' decision while they both served at the District of Columbia Circuit Court in the 1980s.
She repeatedly apologized for his heavy workload, once telling him: 'Sorry you have to go through this labor' and even griping about another judge for being 'ineffective'.
For his part, Scalia hailed one of Ginsberg's rulings as a 'superb job' and supposedly 'let his hair down' in the marks on her draft judgements, Rosen writes.
New book Scalia: Rise to Greatness reveals that RBG and Antonin Scalia became close friends while serving at the District of Columbia Circuit Court in the 1980s. Pictured together in 2014
The SCOTUS justices are seen posing with members of the cast of 'Ariadne auf Naxos' following a performance at the Washington Opera in 1994. The justices, both opera lovers, appeared as extras during the performance
The book, which is out March 7, shows how the judges were able to breach their political differences to form a solid friendship, which now seems quaint given the partisan bickering over the Supreme Court.
Both were from New York - Scalia from Queens and Ginsberg from Brooklyn – and she was a Jew while he was a Catholic and Italian American.
They were fellow academics, Scalia having taught at the University of Virginia and University of Chicago law schools, Ginsburg at Rutgers and Columbia.
After Scalia's death in 2016 aged 79, Ginsberg said she was 'blessed' to have been his friend and said they were 'best buddies'.
The book, which is out March 7, is written by journalist James Rosen
Scalia, who was known as 'Nino', once said: 'What's not to like? Except her views on the law', referring to Ginsberg who died in 2020 aged 87.
Ginsberg served on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Court from 1980-93 while Scalia served from 1982-86.
Rosen writes that during that time Ginsberg exhibited an 'almost maternal attitude towards Scalia' and repeatedly and 'needlessly' expressed concern over his workload, offering to trade cases to make it easier for him.
In one private note, Ginsberg wrote: 'Sorry about the headache the case is giving you.' In another she wrote: 'Sorry to
