White House Quietly Prepares Short List, Eyeing Ginsburg’s Absence From Bench

Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, speaks during the keynote address or the State Bar of New Mexico's Annual Meeting in Pojoaque, N.M., Friday, Aug. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Craig Fritz)
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Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has missed days on the bench recently amid a career of shockingly consistent attendance, even when she was enduring serious health scares. The Trump administration has noticed.

According to a Politico report, the White House counsel’s office and aides on the Senate Judiciary Committee are currently drafting a short list to prepare for the possible vacancy.

Should Trump get to put another justice on the bench, the most judges appointed to the highest court by one President since Ronald Reagan, the confirmation process would almost certainly be brutal. Democrats are still livid about Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment, and another far right judge would drastically alter the court’s trajectory for the foreseeable future.

Ginsburg underwent surgery to remove cancerous tumors from her lungs last month, and was reported to be recovering well afterwards. The court has been largely mum on the exact reason for her recent absences.

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