Wendy Weiser, VP for Democracy at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, had the following comment on the death of Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter:
“Justice Souter was humble and fiercely independent. He was a stalwart defender of American democracy. He put his oath as a judge above partisan concerns and influence from special interests. He leaves an enduring legacy of fidelity to the Constitution and standing up for the power of self-government.
“He authored opinions that upheld protections against the undue influence of money in politics before a shift in the Court’s membership began to dismantle key campaign finance laws. He later sounded the alarm, warning about how ‘[d]evoting concentrations of money in self-interested hands to the support of political campaigning … threatens the capacity of this democracy to represent its constituents and the confidence of its citizens in their capacity to govern themselves. These are the elements summed up in the notion of political integrity, giving it a value second to none in a free society.’
“Justice Souter championed the freedom to vote, issuing powerful dissents in cases challenging burdensome voter identification requirements and protections of the Voting Rights Act in the context of racial gerrymandering.
“He also joined a majority to uphold the right to abortion in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, warning against the ‘profound and unnecessary damage to the Court’s legitimacy, and to the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law’ that would come from overruling Roe v. Wade.
“Justice Souter modeled judicial modesty, retiring after nineteen years on the high court and assuming senior status to make way for new voices. He put the rule of law and the Constitution above politics and self-interest. Our country is indebted to Justice Souter for his decades of public service. We mourn his loss and share our deepest condolences with his family and friends.”
