More court hopefuls visit Trump

Trio interviewed for Kennedy seat; names not shared

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump spoke with three more potential Supreme Court candidates Tuesday as a key senator privately aired concerns about one of the contenders.

That follows four Trump interviews with judicial candidates a day earlier as well as a conversation with Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, who is not regarded as a top contender. An administration official said Trump had spoken to seven candidates in total.

“These are very talented people, brilliant people,” Trump said during an appearance in West Virginia. “We’re going to give you a great one.”

With trademark flair, Trump has said he’ll announce his pick to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy on Monday, choosing from a list of 25 candidates vetted by conservative groups. Top contenders include federal appeals judges Raymond Kethledge, Amul Thapar, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.

Trump has also been consulting with lawmakers, including Sen.

Rand Paul, R-KY., who has expressed reservations about Kavanaugh’s candidacy, according to a person familiar with the call.

Paul has told colleagues that he wouldn’t vote in favor of Kavanaugh if the judge is nominated, citing Kavanaugh’s role during the Bush administration on cases involving executive privilege and the disclosure of documents to Congress.

On Monday, Trump interviewed Kethledge, Thapar, Kavanaugh and Barrett, according to a person with knowledge of the meetings who was not authorized to speak publicly about them.

The White House did not disclose Trump’s additional conversations, but two others considered top contenders are Thomas Hardiman, who has served with Trump’s sister, now on senior inactive status, on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia; and Joan Larsen, who serves on the federal appeals court in Cincinnati and previously served as a Michigan Supreme Court Justice.