After a great justice’s passing, fears for justice in America

Tribeca photographer Milo Hess covered Saturday’s vigil for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg outside State Supreme Court in Foley Square.

As seen by the many “VOTE,” as well as “BIDEN HARRIS,” face masks among the crowd, the looming election was on everyone’s mind.

Whether a new Supreme Court justice should be appointed before the end of President Trump’s term has now become a massive issue. Republicans argue that a ninth justice is needed in case the court has to decide a razor-thin election, as happened with Bush vs. Gore and Florida’s “hanging chads” in 2000.

But former President Obama and Democrats counter that the Senate should abide by its stance in 2016, when the G.O.P. majority refused to hold a hearing on Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, claiming it was too close to the election.

This time, though, the Republicans control both the White House and the Senate.