Acting Solicitor General Bedding In?
Your blogger reported in Tuesday’s Daily Journal that the White House is not close to appointing a new solicitor general to replace Associate Justice Elena Kagan. Developments since that story was reported seem to reinforce that perception. The Daily Journal story stated that acting SG Neal Katyal and White House lawyer Donald Verrrilli remain the favorites but that, due to the need for Senate confirmation, Katyal will probably remain in the position for some time regardless of whether he gets the permanent appointment. The new development is that Katyal has now appointed one of his team, Leondra Kruger (a former clerk to Justice Stevens and, at the age of 34, a rising star), as the acting principal deputy solicitor general. Your blogger is inclined to agree with Tony Mauro in thinking that the appointment “could be read as a sign that Katyal will be staying on as acting or confirmed SG and would keep her on as the political deputy.”
See SCOTUSblog for this round-up.
Lawrence Hurley 