(CNN) 鈥� The foundation that selected SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch and other honorees as recipients of an award named after announced Monday it is canceling its award ceremony after receiving .
Julie Opperman, chair of the Opperman Foundation, said in a statement 鈥渢hat the last thing we intended was to offend the family and friends of RBG.鈥�
鈥淥ur purpose was only to remember her and to honor her leadership.聽And, while we believe each of the honorees is worthy of our respect for their leadership and their notable contributions, the Foundation has decided that the planned ceremony in April 2024 will be canceled,鈥澛燨pperman said.
The slate of this year鈥檚 honorees for the foundation鈥檚 鈥淩BG Leadership鈥� award, formerly the 鈥淩uth Bader Ginsburg Women in Leadership鈥� award, was announced last week and also included lifestyle icon , actor Sylvester Stallone and financier .
Members of the Ginsburg family and a former clerk for the justice called on the foundation to pull her name off the award, with her son聽 that the choices of Musk and Murdoch were a聽鈥渄esecration of my mother鈥檚 memory.鈥�
鈥淲hen you think of聽trying to create a more just聽society, which of course was聽Mom鈥檚 ultimate goal, those are聽probably about the last names聽that would come to mind,鈥� he said.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a longtime liberal member of the high court who聽聽consistently delivered progressive votes on major social issues, including abortion rights, same-sex marriage and immigration.
Opperman鈥檚 statement said the foundation had broadened聽the pool聽of potential honorees聽to men and included leaders from various fields out of the belief that Ginsburg鈥檚 鈥渢eachings regarding EQUALITY should be practiced.鈥�
鈥淜eeping in mind that our goal is only to do good, the Foundation is not interested in creating controversy.聽 It is not interested in generating a debate about whether particular honorees are worthy or not,鈥澛爏he聽said. 鈥淎nd while Justice Ginsburg鈥檚 concept of EQUALITY for women was very controversial for most of her life, the Foundation does not intend to enter the fray.聽 Indeed, Justice Ginsburg was known for her civility.鈥�
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