President Donald Trump is preparing to announce his choice to be the new Supreme Court justice.

The announcement will be made in the White House in a primetime ceremony on Tuesday evening.

His two "finalists" are flying into Washington, lending a touch of theatre to the event.

The nominee will fill the vacancy created by the death of conservative justice Antonin Scalia one year ago, but Democrats say they will fight it.

Former President Barack Obama had put forward Judge Merrick Garland after Mr Scalia's death, but Republicans refused to debate the choice because it was too close to an election, they said.

For the past year the nation's highest court has operated one short, with only eight justices.

Mr Trump is due to announce his choice in a televised address from the East Room at 20:00 Washington time (01:00 GMT).

The two finalists - Neil Gorsuch and Thomas Hardiman - have been whittled down from a shortlist of 21 possible choices that Mr Trump made public during the campaign.

Democratic lawmakers are planning a protest shortly afterwards outside the Supreme Court, just down the road in the nation's capital.

The two in the running

The 49-year-old Neil Gorsuch is the youngest of the two being considered. He lives in Colorado where he has served on the 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals since 2006. He is an "originalist", meaning he believes that the US Constitution should be followed as the Founding Fathers intended.

Philadelphia-based judge Thomas Hardiman, 51, has served since 2007 on the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals - a court where the president's sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, is also on the bench. He was the first person in his family to go to college and supported himself in law school by driving a taxi. Mr Hardiman has supported gun rights and police search powers.

Why is it so important?

The highest court in the US is often the final word on highly contentious laws, disputes between states and the federal government, and final appeals to stay executions.

It hears fewer than 100 cases a year and the key announcements are made in June. Each of the nine justices serves a lifetime appointment after being nominated by the president and approved by the Senate.

The court already has cases this term on the rights of transgender students, gerrymandered voting districts and on the Texas death penalty determination.

It is also likely the court will hear cases on voter rights, abortion, racial bias in policing and US immigration policy, and possibly on Mr Trump's controversial executive order banning refugees.

On the campaign trail, the Supreme Court vacancy was a key factor in persuading many wavering Republicans to back Mr Trump, says BBC North America reporter Rajini Vaidyanathan.

Can Democrats block the nomination?

The failure to confirm Mr Obama's selection has left Democrats embittered, claiming that their nominee had been "stolen", and many have vowed to use similar tactics to block Mr Trump's pick.

Even if the nominee makes it through the Senate Judiciary Committee, he will still face challenges when the entire Senate convenes for a final vote.

Democrats may seek to prevent that second vote, by filibustering in order to deny Mr Trump the 60-vote threshold needed to bring the nomination to the floor.

With Republicans only holding 52 Senate seats, they may have to change Senate rules in order to approve Mr Trump's nominee.

Source:
courtesy of BBC NEWS

by BBC News

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