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WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President Donald Trump said Wednesday he plans to tap Chad Meredith, a former state solicitor general in Kentucky, for a federal judgeship in the state 鈥� a move that could face objections from Sen. Rand Paul, who opposed the nomination three years ago.

Meredith was the starring player in a bit of judicial nominations drama in the previous administration, when then-President Joe Biden had agreed to nominate Meredith, who was enthusiastically supported by Sen. Mitch McConnell, the former Senate majority leader. It was a curious move at the time, because Meredith had a track record of defending Kentucky鈥檚 anti-abortion laws and the nomination would come in the immediate aftermath of the 2022 Supreme Court decision that eliminated a constitutional right to the procedure.

But Paul indicated to the Biden White House at the time that he would block Meredith鈥檚 confirmation proceedings from moving forward, so the former president never formally nominated him. Biden鈥檚 decision to back off Meredith was also a relief to Democrats and abortion rights groups who had been enraged at the prospect of Biden tapping an anti-abortion lawyer for a lifetime judiciary seat.

In a social media post announcing the nomination, Trump called Meredith 鈥渉ighly experienced and well qualified.鈥�

鈥淐had is a courageous Patriot who knows what is required to uphold the Rule of Law, and protect our Constitution,鈥� Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday night.

McConnell said in a statement Wednesday that Trump made an 鈥渙utstanding choice鈥� in choosing Meredith, who also served as chief deputy general counsel for former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin.

鈥淗is demonstrated devotion to the rule of law and the Constitution will serve the people of Kentucky well on the federal bench,鈥� McConnell said. 鈥淚 look forward to the Senate confirming his nomination.鈥�

Paul鈥檚 office did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday night on the nomination. Three years ago, Paul accused McConnell of cutting a 鈥渟ecret deal鈥� with the White House as a reason why Meredith鈥檚 nomination never moved forward under Biden.

鈥淯nfortunately, instead of communicating and lining up support for him, Senator McConnell chose to cut a secret deal with the White House that fell apart,鈥� Paul said at the time.

Paul never made any substantive objections about Meredith himself. It鈥檚 unclear whether Paul would hold similar process concerns with Meredith鈥檚 formal nomination under Trump.

But Paul had effective veto power over a judicial pick in his home state because the Senate continues to honor the so-called blue slip rule, a decades-old custom that says a judicial nominee won鈥檛 move forward if there is opposition from his or her home-state senator. The Biden White House also deferred to that custom, which is why Biden never ended up nominating Meredith.

Though the rule has been eroded in part, namely for appellate court judges whose seat spans several states, the custom has remained intact for district court nominees who are more closely tied to their home states. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, has so far made no indication that he would deviate from that longstanding custom.

Lena Zwarensteyn, senior director of the fair courts program and an adviser at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, criticized Trump’s selection of Meredith given his 鈥渄isturbing anti-abortion record.”

鈥淭he nomination of Chad Meredith to a lifetime judgeship should trouble everyone,鈥� Zwarensteyn said.