Trump nominates Brett Kavanaugh to US Supreme Court
Washington, July 10 : US President Donald Trump has picked Brett Kavanaugh, a federal appeals court judge with extensive legal credentials and a lengthy political record, to succeed Justice Anthony M. Kennedy in the Supreme Court.
"Judge Kavanaugh has impeccable credentials," Trump said on Monday, shortly after announcing his pick, CNBC reported.
In a primetime announcement at the White House, the President praised his pick as a "brilliant jurist", BBC reported.
The nominee, a District of Columbia appeals court judge, is a former adviser to ex-President George W. Bush. The decision has far-reaching implications for America on everything from abortion to guns to immigration.
Trump said: "Judge Kavanaugh has impeccable credentials, unsurpassed qualifications and a proven commitment to equal justice under the law."
He added: "He is a brilliant jurist with a clear and effective writing style, universally regarded as one of the finest and sharpest legal minds of our time."
This is the president's second appointment to the highest court in the land, potentially allowing him to shape the US for a generation after he leaves the White House.
With reality television-style suspense, he had kept everyone guessing up until the last moment. The appointee would replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, 81, who announced last month that he will retire this summer.
At Monday night's announcement, Judge Kavanaugh said: "Mr. President, thank you. Throughout this process I have witnessed firsthand your appreciation for the vital role of the American judiciary.
"No president has ever consulted more widely, or talked with more people from more backgrounds to seek input abut a Supreme Court nomination.
"I am grateful to you and I am humbled by your confidence in me."
Judge Kavanaugh has served since 2006 on the influential US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and was formerly a White House aide under George W. Bush.
He previously worked for Kenneth Starr, the independent counsel who investigated Democratic former President Bill Clinton in the 1990s.
A Yale graduate, he once clerked for Justice Kennedy, the man he would replace. Judge Kavanaugh recently voiced disagreement with a court decision allowing an undocumented teenage immigrant to get an abortion.
He wrote a Minnesota law review article in 2009 arguing that presidents should be shielded from criminal investigations and civil lawsuits while in office.
Analysts say that could have weighed in his favour with the White House, given that the Supreme Court may at some point be asked to rule on matters arising from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing Russia-related investigation.
The nominee must be confirmed by the US Senate, which the Republican president's party narrowly controls 51-49. A nominee needs a simple majority of 51 votes to be confirmed.
With Senator John McCain battling cancer in his home state of Arizona, Republicans can currently only muster 50 votes. Before a full vote on the chamber floor, the prospective justice will be grilled by the Senate Judiciary Committee in hearings that can go on for days.
Judge Kavanaugh said he would begin meetings with senators on Tuesday. Democrats are certain to press Trump's latest nominee on the landmark 1973 Roe vs Wade ruling that legalised abortion nationwide.
Conservative Christians have long vied to overturn that decision, and Trump has previously said he wants "pro-life" justices opposed to abortion rights.
The White House and Republican party want the nomination in the bag before November's mid-term elections.
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Strict security measures in place in Mumbai for Messi's events at 2 venues Dec 14, say police
Mumbai (PTI): In view of Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai on Sunday, the city police are implementing stringent security measures, like not allowing water bottles, metals, coins inside the stadiums and setting up watchtowers to keep an eye on the crowd, officials said.
The police also said taking extra care to avoid any stampede-like situation and to prevent recurrence of the chaotic situation that unfolded in Kolkata during Messi's visit on Saturday as thousands of fans protested inside the Salt Lake stadium here after failing to catch a clear glimpse of the football icon despite paying hefty sums for tickets.
Messi is expected to be present at the Cricket Club of India (Brabourne Stadium) in Mumbai on Sunday for a Padel GOAT Cup event followed by attending a celebrity football match. He is expected to proceed to the Wankhede Stadium for the GOAT India Tour main event around 5 pm.
"In view of Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai, the police are geared up and have put in place a high level of security arrangements in and around the stadiums located in south Mumbai. Considering the chaos that prevailed in Kolkata and the security breach, we have deployed World Cup-level security arrangements at Brabourne and Wankhede stadiums," an official said.
Expecting heavy crowd near the stadiums during Messi's visit, the city police force has deployed more than 2,000 of its personnel near and around both the venues, he said.
As the Mumbai police have the experience of security 'bandobast' during the victory parade of ICC World Cup-winning Indian team and World Cup final match at the Wankhede Stadium, in which over one lakh cricket fans had gathered, we are prepared to handle a large crowd of fans, he said.
"We are trying to avoid the errors that occurred in the past," the official said.
There is no place to sneak inside the stadiums in Mumbai like the Kolkata stadium, according to him.
The police are also asking the organisers to provide all the required facilities to the fans inside the stadium, so that there will be no chaos, he said, adding the spectators have purchased tickets in the range of Rs 5,000 to 25,000. After paying so much of amount, any spectator expects proper services, while enjoying the event, he said.
The police are expecting 33,000 spectators at the Wankhede Stadium and over 4,000 at Brabourne Stadium. Besides this, more than 30,000 people are expected outside and around the stadiums just to have a glimpse of the football sensation, he said.
The organisers responsible for Messi's India visit recently came to Mumbai to discuss security arrangements. During the meeting, the Mumbai police asked them not to take the event lightly, according to the official.
After those requirements were fulfilled, the final security deployment was chalked out, he said.
Police has the standard procedure of the security arrangements inside the Wankhede Stadium, where people are barred from taking water bottles, metals objects, coins. Police are setting up watch towers near the stadiums and there will be traffic diversions, so that there is maximum space available to stand, according to the official.
Police are also appealing to the spectators to use public transport service for commuting and avoid personal vehicles to reach south Mumbai.
To avoid any stampede-like situation, police are also taking precautionary measures and will stop the fans some distance ahead of the stadium and public announcement systems will be used to guide the crowd. Barricades will be placed at various places to manage the crowd.
In case the crowd swells up beyond expectation, the police will divert people to other grounds and preparations in this regard underway, he said.
Additional police force has been deployed in south Mumbai to tackle any kind of situation, he said.
