 "President-elect Donald Trump. Reuters")
Dean John Sauer, who successfully argued his presidential immunity case before the U.S. Supreme Court, to be the solicitor general, representing his administration before the high court, is Trump’s pick to be solicitor general in his second term.
Trump said in a statement on Thursday that John is a deeply accomplished, masterful appellate attorney, who clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia in the United States Supreme Court, served as Solicitor General of Missouri for six years, and has extensive experience practicing before the U.S. Supreme Court and other Appellate Courts.
Sauer also argued on behalf of Donald Trump in a New York appeals court, seeking to overturn a staggering $454 million judgment secured by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The original case alleged widespread fraud within Trump’s business empire, and Sauer’s appeal seems to have garnered some interest from the appeals judges. However, a ruling has yet to be made.
Sauer boasts an impressive background, having spent six years as Missouri’s solicitor general, where he served as the state’s top appellate lawyer. His educational credentials are equally impressive, with an undergraduate degree from Duke University, a master’s in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, and a law degree from Harvard Law School.
If confirmed by the Senate, Sauer will take on a significant role, representing the United States in pivotal arguments at the Supreme Court. He will also lead an elite team of lawyers at the Justice Department, handling high-court litigation involving the federal government and making strategic decisions about appealing lower-court decisions.