A senior White House official colleagues described as “instrumental” in Justice Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation fight last summer is poised to leave the West Wing just as President Trump prepares to appoint his second justice to the Supreme Court.
Legislative affairs director Marc Short told colleagues earlier this month he intends to exit his post toward the end of the summer, at the height of an expected confirmation battle over Trump’s pick to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy.
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The Capitol Hill veteran, who has served in the White House since day one of the Trump administration, was heavily involved in guiding Gorsuch through his confirmation hearing last March and private meetings with bipartisan senators. Sources close to the process said Short put in extra hours, on top of his already hectic schedule serving as Trump’s liaison to the Hill, to help Gorsuch and other White House officials throughout the monthslong confirmation process.
In one particularly theatrical anecdote that emerged last summer, Trump was reportedly considering withdrawing Gorsuch’s nomination over concerns about his loyalty when Short brought the president a note the Supreme Court nominee had written to him but that the president had failed to receive.
“Your address to Congress was magnificent. And you were so kind to recognize Mrs. Scalia, remember the justice, and mention me,” the note read, according to the Washington Post.
“They couldn’t have done it without Marc,” a person involved in the previous nomination process said Wednesday, hours after Kennedy, 81, announced his retirement.
“His absence will be felt this time around, unless he chooses to delay,” the person added, suggesting Short is likely facing pressure to stick around at least until Trump’s nominee makes it through his or her Senate confirmation hearing.
Short did not respond to a request for comment, but a source close to Trump’s top legislative adviser said it would characteristic of him to stay if he felt he was desperately needed.
The job status of White House counsel Don McGahn, whose office will oversee the vetting of front-runners for the Supreme Court vacancy, has been a similar subject of speculation in recent months. A report by the Associated Press in May suggested McGahn was eager to exit and could soon be replaced by White House attorney Emmet Flood.
McGahn and Short worked closely with a handful of outside communications advisers and White House colleagues on the nomination and confirmation of Gorsuch, including former Trump transition adviser Ron Bonjean, former White House strategic response director Steven Cheung and former Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H.
A source familiar with the process said some of those figures are expected to lend a hand as Trump works to appoint a second Supreme Court justice ahead of the November midterm elections.
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