Trump’s Contenders To Be Attorney General Include Ally Of Justice Clarence Thomas

A conservative lawyer allied with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is among contenders to lead the Justice Department under Trump

President Donald Trump is considering elevating a conservative lawyer closely allied with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to lead the Justice Department, according to people familiar with the matter.

Paul Clement, the former solicitor general under President George W. Bush and a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, is among the contenders who have interviewed for the post vacated by William Barr in December.

Clement has argued nearly 100 cases before the Supreme Court, and he represented Trump in several cases related to the 2020 election. He also was a member of the conservative Federalist Society, of which Thomas is a prominent member.

Trump has interviewed several other candidates for the post, including acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, who has been leading the department since Barr's departure

Rosen, who has been with the Justice Department since 2019, is seen as a more traditional choice for the post. He has overseen the department's investigations into the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and the origins of the Russia investigation.

Other candidates who have interviewed for the post include: Christopher Wray, the FBI director; Michael Mukasey, the former attorney general under President George W. Bush; and Jay Clayton, the former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

It is unclear when Trump will make a decision on who to nominate to lead the Justice Department

The president has been known to change his mind about personnel decisions at the last minute. He is also facing pressure from some Republicans to nominate a more conservative candidate than Rosen.

The attorney general is one of the most powerful positions in the federal government. The person who holds the post oversees the nation's law enforcement agencies and can bring major criminal cases.