By Jarrett Renshaw
(Reuters) – The White House has tapped three outside advisers who are veterans of politics and communications to help guide U.S. President Joe Biden’s eventual Supreme Court pick through the confirmation process.
The new team will be led by former Alabama Senator Doug Jones, whose selection as the “sherpa” was made public this week.
Biden has said he will announce his choice to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer by the end of February and has promised to name a Black woman to the high court.
Minyon Moore, who served as political director under former president Bill Clinton, is now tasked with building support across the country for Biden’s eventual nominee. Ben LaBolt, who served as both campaign and White House spokesman for former President Barack Obama, will oversee communications strategy.
“These advisers bring decades of experience to the table and will join the White House team working with the President on the selection of the nation’s first Black woman to the Supreme Court,” the White House said in a statement on Wednesday.
The White House said the in-house team currently advising Biden on the nominating process includes Vice President Kamala Harris, White House counsel Dana Remus, chief of staff Ron Klain, legislative affairs director Louisa Terrell, senior adviser Cedric L. Richmond, deputy legislative affairs director Reema Dodin, senior counsel Paige Herwig and Josh Hsu, counsel to Harris.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru and Jarrett Renshaw in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler, Heather Timmons and Bill Berkrot)
