President Trump is considering five female candidates to replace Justice Ginsburg. Judges Barbara Lagoa and Any Coney Barrett are on the top of the list with Barrett holding the inside track. He has already spoken with Judge Barrett on Monday.
President Trump confirmed he will make his selection by the weekend.
โFive women are being vetted very carefully,โ he told White House reporters as he departed for an Ohio trip.
The pick will be announced, โprobably Saturday, but Friday or Saturday.โ
He repeated his belief the Senate should act before Election Day.
โIโd much rather have a vote before the election because thereโs a lot of work to be done and Iโd much rather have it,โ Mr. Trump said. โThereโs a great deal of time before the election. Thatโll be up to Mitch in the Senate. I think it sends a good signal. Itโs solidarity and lots of other things. Iโm just doing my constitutional obligation. I have an obligation to do this. So I would rather see it before the election.โ
Mr. Trump also warned Senate Republicans not to get cold feet about confirming a justice so close to Nov. 3, when voters will have their say.
โI think their voters, the people that voted for them, put them there because of a certain ideology or a certain feel, and they donโt want to have somebody do that. I think itโs very bad if they do that,โ Mr. Trump said.
TWO TOP CONTENDERS, ONE IS HISPANIC, BOTH ARE WOMEN
Two names that have been mentioned as top contenders for the vacancy are Judge Amy Coney Barrett of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals and Judge Barbara Lagoa of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Judge Lagoa is the daughter of a Cuban exile.
Mr. Trump said he โmayโ visit Judge Lagoa on an upcoming trip to Miami.
โShe has a lot of support,โ the president said. โI donโt know her but I hear sheโs outstanding
Lagoa grew up in a heavily Hispanic suburb of Miami.
โSheโs excellent. Sheโs Hispanic. Sheโs a terrific woman from everything I know. I donโt know her. Florida. We love Florida. So sheโs got a lot of things โ very smart,โ Trump said in a call-in interview with โFox and Friends.โ
Asked whether politics would play a role in the decision, Trump responded: โI try not to say so. I think probably automatically it is. Even if youโre not wanting to do that it becomes a little automatic.โ
Mrs. Lagoa said she would recuse herself on abortion decisions.
He should pick Ms. Lagoa and let Hispanics watch Democrats tear apart a Hispanic woman, showing themselves who they are.
Amy Coney Barrett will have to go up against Catholic-hater Kamala Harris:
Are Democrats prepared to say a devout Catholic is by definition unfit to serve on the Supreme Court? If no pro-life Justice is acceptable then no faithful Catholic, Evangelical or Orthodox Jew can be considered. Are Democrats really prepared to alienate that many Americans?
โ Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) September 21, 2020
Deputy WH Counsel Kate Comerford Todd is also on the shortlist.
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