Fox News sources: Trump meets with alleged SCOTUS top choice [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• According to Fox News’ sources, President Donald Trump on Monday met with potential frontrunner nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill the post left by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
• Aside from Barrett, Trump also floated the possibility of nominating Judge Barbara Lagoa.
• The president said that he would wait until the weekend to finish the services for the late Justice Ginsburg before announcing her potential successor.

On Monday, President Donald Trump met with Judge Amy Coney Barrett, the top choice, according to sources, to occupy the Supreme Court post after the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Although the president issued a long list of possible nominees, it seemed that the option was streamlined over the weekend when he announced that he was opting for a woman.

Trump on Monday said that he shortened his potential nominees to five candidates. During a conference with reporters, he particularly mentioned nominating Barbara Lagoa. 

“I may. She is highly thought of,” he said when asked about her. 

Trump added: “I’m getting a lot of phone calls from a lot of people. she has a lot of support. I don’t know her but I hear she is outstanding.”

Lagoa is a Cuban-American who is currently serving at the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals.

Meanwhile, the alleged top choice is a 48-year-old judge from the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago. Barrett is a conservative, pro-life Roman Catholic. When she graduated from law school, she worked as a clerk for the late Justice Antonin Scalia.

In 2018, she was also considered as a potential successor to former Justice Anthony Kennedy’s seat that was then filled by Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Barrett was still a favorite among conservative groups, especially on her stance about abortion. 

During a 2017 hearing, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) commented on Barrett’s faith, saying it might meddle with her profession.

“I think whatever a religion is, it has its own dogma. The law is totally different. And I think in your case, professor, when you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you, and that’s of concern,” the senator said.

But Barrett argued: “It’s never appropriate for a judge to impose that judge’s personal convictions, whether they arise from faith or anywhere else, on the law.”

Trump told Fox & Friends that he would first wait for the services of the late justice to end before announcing her new successor.

“I think it will be on Friday or Saturday and we want to pay respect, it looks like we will have services on Thursday or Friday, as I understand it, and I think we should, with all due respect for Justice Ginsburg, wait for services to be over,” he said.

Source: Fox News