White House Quietly Preparing For Possible Departure Of Justice Ginsburg

Hotair ^ | 01/10/2019 | John Sexton

[SeekAndFind]

Still recovering from her recent lung surgery at home, Justice Ginsburg was unable to attend oral arguments this week for the first time in her career on the Supreme Court. As a result, Politico reports the White House is apparently telling allies to prepare themselves for the possibility she could retire.

The White House “is taking the temperature on possible short-list candidates, reaching out to key stakeholders, and just making sure that people are informed on the process,” said a source familiar with those conversations, who spoke on background given the delicate nature of the subject. “They’re doing it very quietly, of course, because the idea is not to be opportunistic, but just to be prepared so we aren’t caught flat-footed.”…

The White House is urging outside allies to be prepared for another bruising confirmation battle should Ginsberg’s health take a sudden turn for the worse, according to four sources with knowledge of the overtures. Outside groups, led by the Federalist Society and the Judicial Crisis Network, played a leading role in helping to confirm Kavanaugh and, before that, Justice Neil Gorsuch…

The White House counsel’s office and senior aides on the Senate Judiciary Committee, now chaired by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), have begun drafting a shortlist of potential court nominees. It features judges the president has considered for previous vacancies along with some new names. Many of them are women, sources say.

I’m curious about where all this information, including a long list of potential nominees, is coming from. Someone is obviously talking and it’s probably safe to assume that person has some agenda. Are they hoping to embarrass the White House and create a pro-Ginsburg backlash? Or is the White House itself leaking this as a way to get the speculation going about Ginsburg’s future? If forced to guess I might choose the latter, but it’s just a guess. There was some rather blunt talk about the need for Justice Kennedy to retire before he made it official. Whatever this is, it’s nothing like that. But even CNN is suggesting today that there is an “atmosphere of uncertainty” about what is going to happen next.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s cancer surgery and ongoing recuperation has cast an atmosphere of uncertainty over the Supreme Court at a critical time for its future and as the legal fate of several controversial White House policies hang in the balance…

Ginsburg, who will turn 86 in March, is recuperating at her Washington, DC, home. She has been reading legal briefs and participating in cases by relaying her votes to the other justices…

A survivor of two prior cancer surgeries, in 1999 and 2009, Ginsburg had made it a point of pride that she missed no oral arguments during those episodes.

But this time that was not possible.

In any case, calling a potential Trump replacement of Justice Ginsburg “another bruising confirmation battle” is like calling WWII another minor skirmish. The confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh was certainly brutal and included unsubstantiated allegations of gang rape, but he was only replacing a swing vote who often voted with the right anyway. Ginsburg, on the other hand, is the liberal lion of the court and also happens to be at the peak of her cultural popularity on the left, with a feature film currently in release about her life, a hit documentary, even an illustrated workout book. The battle to replace Ginsburg, if it comes during Trump’s tenure, is going to be unlike anything we’ve experienced before.

But for the moment, there’s no real evidence it’s about to happen, just signs of due diligence from the White House and some nervous anticipation from the left. Whether she retires next week or in three years, I hope she fully recovers from her recent surgery.

[dandiegirl]

They will not crucify a woman at this point in time.

I think you are right. I think with Lindsey Graham in charge, it will be a tightly controlled process. He indicated that it would be. I think he will do a much better job than Grassley. It will be hard for all the lib #metoo crowd to go after a woman if that is what Trump chooses.

[Political Junkie Too]

Take the fifth to remain silent when what you say may incriminate yourself ; take the Sixth to remain silent when confronted with a religious test for office.

-PJ

[ssaftler]

“Leftists” and “gracious” are an oxymoron. Buzzi blew her chance to get out about 4 years ago, when 0bumbler was in his ascendancy.

At 85 and as frail as she appears, I’d be surprised to see her lighting any Chanukah candles come December.

[MayflowerMadam]

“Amy Coney Barrett, if she can give up her religion.”

What is her religion? We need more diversity on SCOTUS.

[morphing libertarian]

It will involve having children testify at the hearing

[morphing libertarian]

wouldn’t she be on drugs also. Drugs which might effect her thought process.

[Leep]

Don’t let Obama give her any pills.

[morphing libertarian]

They should have booted Booker and Feinstein off the committee. That would let the dems know of they F around they will lose their seat. For feinstein to hold onto that letter for over 60 days is unconscionable.

[The Pack Knight]

They already did that to Kavanaugh. They put on one of the Parkland kids.

[Dawgreg]

Wonder how Lindsay is going to handle those neanderthal Demonrats and their lies and downright rudeness to POTUS next nominee?........

[AlaskaErik]

Last year, I stated she’d be gone before April.

I once heard that the greatest chance of old people dying is the three month period after their birthday. Both my parents died less than three months after their last birthday.

[morphing libertarian]

which one did they say he molested?

[morphing libertarian]

The replacement of Thomas provides an opportunity for a young conservative judge packing the court well into the future,

[shanover]

It’s asinine that a Supreme Court Justice has a work at home gig. It’s time for her to be put to pasture.

[morphing libertarian]

I wonder if she is taking drugs and if they effect her thought process

[Susquehanna Patriot]

Prolong her life for another 2 years ...

1st hurdle is to get RBG to the end of 2019, even if a vegetable on life support, so that if something does happen, the demokraps with their media machine will scream the Biden Rule (a.k.a. Merrick Garland) stops any nominee in 2020.

[jetson]

All of these libs in all phases of government are like dog doo...hard to get off your shoe.

[Susquehanna Patriot]

Was the party on state time or after work? What exactly were they going to celebrate? Sometimes it is necessary to gather real information about the opposition. And be prepared to say, “Oh, I thought it was an RGIII party. Who is RGB?”

[shelterguy]

Apparently it was some party at one of their homes this weekend. She said it had something to do with a march or something.

[Susquehanna Patriot]

That’s too logical and informative for the average citizen. Demokrap Senators won’t go for it. The purpose of the confirmation process is to grandstand, get their faces all over the media, and to raise “campaign funds”. Taking down a decent person nominated by the opposition party, with lies and innuendo, is necessary to achieve their goals and quest for power.