Will a Scalia-trained judge replace Kennedy?
Justice Kennedy will turn 82 next year, and Fox News recently reported that a potential announcement from aging judge could come after Thanksgiving.
If Kennedy is retiring, President Donald Trump would make the second nomination for a Supreme Court justice less than a year into his administration. In January, he nominated Neil Gorsuch, who was confirmed weeks later and took his seat at the nation’s high court in April.
“This is massive,” asserted Phillip Jauregui of Judicial Action Group (JAG). “This will be the political equivalent of World War III. It’s massive if Kennedy leaves the Court.”
The reported list of five potential nominees Trump would consider include:
- Amy Coney Barrett, (Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit)
- Britt Grant, (Justice on the Georgia Supreme Court)
- Brett Kavanaugh (Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit)
- Kevin Newsome (Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit)
- Patrick Wyrick (Justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court)
Jauregui has his eye on one of the selections.
“The one that really stands out is Amy Coney Barrett,” says Jauregui. “She clerked for Justice Scalia and has been a professor at Notre Dame, [and] she went before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where she was bashed for her Christian faith.”
Far-left Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) fears that Barrett would threaten her party’s liberal agenda.
“When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you, and that’s of concern,” Feinstein told Barrett when up for review.
Barrett was later confirmed and by bipartisan vote.
Jauregui was asked whether Barrett has the experience needed for the high court.
“Elena Kagan was put on the court by President Obama, and she had never been a judge,” Jauregui answered. “Kagan had been his Solicitor General, which is a government position of arguing cases for the government, but had never been a judge, so [Barrett] has more experience than Elena Kagan ever had at being judge – even now with the little bit that she has.”
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