(Image source from: Vox)
The United States President Donald Trump has appointed federal appeals Judge Brett Kavanaugh to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court.
Trump made the proclamation on Monday night, saying it was an "honor and privilege" to nominate Kavanaugh
Present, Kavanaugh faces what seems to be another ferocious fight for confirmation in the Senate, where Trump's fellow Republicans hold a slim figure. Once it is official Kavanaugh would replace, long-serving conservative Justice Kennedy, who proclaimed his retirement on June 27 at age 81.
"Throughout legal circles, he's considered a judge's judge, a true thought leader among his peers," Trump, who named conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch to the court last year, told an audience in the White House East Room.
"He's a brilliant jurist with a clear and effective writing style, universally regarded as one of the finest and sharpest legal minds of our time. And just like Justice Gorsuch, he excelled as a legal clerk for Justice Kennedy," Trump added, saying his nominee "deserves a swift confirmation and robust bipartisan support".
Kavanaugh has accumulated a solidly conservative judicial record since 2006 on the authoritative U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
"My judicial philosophy is straightforward: a judge must be independent and must interpret the law, not make the law. A judge must interpret statutes as written. And a judge must interpret the Constitution as written, informed by history, and tradition and precedent," Kavanaugh said during the ceremony in which he underscored his ties to his family and his Roman Catholic faith.
In the lead-up to the nomination, few conservatives had uttered concerns regarding Kavanaugh questioning his earnestness to social issues noting his time serving under President George W Bush as grounds he is a more establishment choice. But his supporters cited his experience and a wide range of legal opinions.
The White House said on Monday that former Arizona Senator Jon Kyl would guide Trump's nominee through the arduous Senate process.
Kavanaugh is hoped-for to encounter with senators in approaching days at their offices, going door-to-door in get-to-know-you sessions ahead of confirmation hearings.
By Sowmya Sangam
