The Dwight D. Opperman Foundation has canceled its Ruth Bader Ginsburg Leadership Award gala after controversy and objections from Ginsburg’s family and previous award recipient Barbra Streisand over this year’s choices of recipients. The debate began when the foundation named the 2024 honorees, marking the first year men were included among the awardees in a gesture the foundation said was meant to mirror Ginsburg’s dedication to equality.
This year’s selection included Elon Musk, Rupert Murdoch, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Milken and Martha Stewart, sparking widespread discussion.
Julie Opperman, chair of the foundation, stated the aim was to recognize leaders from various sectors for their societal contributions, irrespective of political affiliations.
The controversy comes amid legal challenges faced by some nominees.
Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News settled a lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for $800 million last year over false 2020 election claims, and it is currently involved in a similar $2.7 billion lawsuit with Smartmatic.
Elon Musk, known for SpaceX, has encountered accusations of antisemitism. Since acquiring Twitter, now renamed X, the platform has been criticized for allowing pro-Nazi content, leading to an advertiser pullout.
Michael Milken, known for the junk bond market scandal in the late ’80s, served time for securities fraud before reinventing himself as a philanthropist. He was pardoned in 2020.
Martha Stewart was incarcerated for five months in 2004-2005 due to her involvement in a stock scandal.
Sylvester Stallone, the star of “Rocky,” has faced several sexual assault accusations, all of which he denies, without any charges filed against him.
A former clerk for Ginsburg, who was also the former dean of NYU’s School of Law, raised concerns that the selected honorees do not reflect the values Ginsburg championed. Ginsburg’s family also criticized the foundation for straying from the award’s original mission to honor women known for their empathy, humility and leadership, viewing it as a betrayal of Ginsburg’s legacy.
In light of the backlash, the foundation is reassessing its mission and future direction.
The award was established in 2020 to honor Ginsburg’s advocacy for democratic values and women’s rights, aiming to acknowledge individuals who embody these ideals. Ginsburg died in 2020 at the age of 87.
