NOMINATIONS/SUPREME COURT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump said on Friday that he planned to interview one or two candidates to fill Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s seat this weekend at his Bedminster, N.J., resort, and plans to announce his final pick on July 9…The president also said he wouldn’t specifically ask candidates about Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling making abortion legal, though a potential nominee’s approach to the issue has been a factor in the formation of his list of 25 conservative candidates. The president didn’t say if all of his five finalists were from that list, but he had earlier pledged to pick exclusively from it. Late Thursday, the president met with a bipartisan group of six senators who will play a pivotal role in selecting Mr. Kennedy’s successor because they have deviated from their party on key votes in the past. The lawmakers signaled they want an ideological centrist, complicating Mr. Trump’s decision. Among them were Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, both of whom back abortion rights. Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa), and Democratic Sens. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia also attended the meeting.”
-Louise Radnofsky and Peter Nicholas, “Trump Says He Has Narrowed List of Possible Supreme Court Picks to Five,” The Wall Street Journal, June 29, 2018 6:03 pm