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.
“Five women are being vetted very carefully,” he told White House reporters as he departed for an Ohio trip.
The pick will be announced, “probably Saturday, but Friday or Saturday.”
He repeated his belief the Senate should act before Election Day.
“I’d much rather have a vote before the election because there’s a lot of work to be done and I’d much rather have it,” Mr. Trump said. “There’s a great deal of time before the election. That’ll be up to Mitch in the Senate. I think it sends a good signal. It’s solidarity and lots of other things. I’m just doing my constitutional obligation. I have an obligation to do this. So I would rather see it before the election.”
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.
“I think their voters, the people that voted for them, put them there because of a certain ideology or a certain feel, and they don’t want to have somebody do that. I think it’s very bad if they do that,” 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 “may” visit Judge Lagoa on an upcoming trip to Miami.
“She has a lot of support,” the president said. “I don’t know her but I hear she’s outstanding
Lagoa grew up in a heavily Hispanic suburb of Miami.
“She’s excellent. She’s Hispanic. She’s a terrific woman from everything I know. I don’t know her. Florida. We love Florida. So she’s got a lot of things — very smart,” Trump said in a call-in interview with “Fox and Friends.”
Asked whether politics would play a role in the decision, Trump responded: “I try not to say so. I think probably automatically it is. Even if you’re not wanting to do that it becomes a little automatic.”
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?
— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) September 21, 2020
Deputy WH Counsel Kate Comerford Todd is also on the shortlist.
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