Today President Donald Trump outlined his potential picks for future vacancies on the Supreme Court. His brief appearance at the White House podium emphasized the necessity for good justices, in the mold of justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.
“Today I am announcing 20 additions to my original list,” he said.
The president challenged Democrat presidential nominee, Vice President Joe Biden, to release his own list.
One of the most prominent names on the president’s list is Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee and once clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Cruz responded to the news of his name on Trump’s shortlist via Twitter:
“I am grateful for the president’s confidence in me and for his leadership in nominating principled constitutionalists to the federal bench over the last four years. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I’ve been proud to help confirm to the bench over 200 of President Trump’s judicial nominees, including two to the Supreme Court. It’s humbling and an immense honor to be considered for the Supreme Court. The High Court plays a unique role in defending our Constitution, and there is no greater responsibility in public service than to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. In the Senate, I have been blessed to lead the fight to preserve our constitutional liberties – every day, to defend the rights of 29 million Texans – and I look forward to continuing to do so for many years to come.”
Two other U.S. Senators, Josh Hawley, R-Mo. and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., made the list. Two months ago Hawley made it clear that he would only support nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court who understood that Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided.
Senator Tom Cotton, R-Ark., tweeted his support for the president’s list: “It’s time for Roe v. Wade to go.”
Other nominees on the president’s new list include: 9th Circuit Judge Bridget Bade, Kentucky’s Attorney General Daniel Cameron, Former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, 5th Circuit Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan, U.S. Assistant Attorney General Steven Engel, former U.S. Solicitor General Noel Francisco, 5th Circuit Judge James Ho, D.C. Circuit Judge Greg Katsas, Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Lagoa, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Christopher Landau, Florida Supreme Court Justice Carlos Muniz, U.S. District Court Judge Martha Pacold, 3rd Circuit Judge Peter Phipps, U.S. District Judge Sarah Pitlyk, 4th Circuit Judge Allison Jones Rushing, lawyer and deputy White House counsel Kate Todd, and 9th Circuit Judge Lawrence VanDyke.
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