How Trumpworld kept its Supreme Court choice a secret

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The White House took extraordinary measures to keep his selection under wraps
Went from a friend's home to a Starbucks before heading to Washington
Donald Trump personally interviewed Gorsuch and others before deciding

By Francesca Chambers, White House Correspondent For Dailymail.com

Published: 11:25 EST, 1 February 2017 | Updated: 12:25 EST, 1 February 2017

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Donald Trump's White House managed to keep Neil Gorsuch's appointment to the Supreme Court a secret all the way up until the president made his televised announcement on Tuesday at 8:02 pm.

Gorsuch was one of three reported finalists for the position, leading White House officials to take extraordinary measures to keep his selection under wraps.

They had him ferried from a friend's home in an SUV to a Starbucks in a Safeway parking lot, Axios reported. From there he and his wife Louise were transported to Washington on a military aircraft.

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Donald Trump's White House managed to keep Neil Gorsuch's appointment to the Supreme Court a secret all the way up until the president made his televised announcement on Tuesday at 8:02 pm

President Trump's team had the Gorusch family ferried from a friend's home in an SUV to a Starbucks in a Safeway parking lot. From there he and his wife Louise were transported to Washington on a military aircraft

Neil and Louise Gorsuch are pictured at the White House on Tuesday night as President Trump makes his surprise announcement

It was an especially impressive operation, given the number of leaks coming out of the new administration.

Even Republican lawmakers were left out of the loop until an hour before Trump's big reveal.

'We leak like a sieve,' Arizona Republican Jeff Flake joked while speaking inside the White House. 'We were only certain tonight,' he said, laughing.

Flake noted, 'It was narrowed down, everybody pretty much knew the few at the top.'

Gorsuch, William Pryor and Thomas Hardiman were said to be finalists for the position on the high court. The White House confirmed on Tuesday, after Trump publicized his choice, that they and three others were.

Trump met with Gorsuch, Pryor and Hardiman on January 14 at his New York residence. He also interviewed Amul Thapar in person.

Spicer told reporters during a Tuesday night gaggle that a team from the White House flew out to Denver, and then traveled to Boulder, after Trump called Gorsuch on Monday. They subsequently accompanied him to Washington.

'He arrived in Washington, D.C. last night and stayed in a private residence, and then he was escorted to the White House today,' Spicer said.

Gorsuch 'flew out on a military (plane) ….He went to a neighbor's house, then was met by White House counsel staff, transported to a farm, back farm road,' said Spicer, explaining the measures the White House took to keep the nomination quiet.

The three other judges on the shortlist who didn't get it were informed by White House Counsel Don McGhan, who was instrumental in the selection process.

Steve Bannon, the president's chief strategist, Reince Priebus, the White House chief of staff, and Mike Pence were also involved in shaping the pick.

Spicer said of the hush, hush rollout that survived any leaks: 'It was a great effort by the entire team.'

Reports initially hinted that Hardiman had also been summoned to attend for a reality TV-style announcement. The White House says it had nothing to do with the dramatics.

CNN said that Hardiman had been spotted leaving his home in Pittsburgh and driving east, toward Washington. Hardiman did leave his home yesterday, but it wasn't to come to D.C., White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said.

Hardiman visited the chief justice of the 3rd District Court.

'The reality is, that to the best of my knowledge he never left the state of Pennsylvania,' Spicer told reporters. 'He never was in D.C., nor did he ever leave the commonwealth.'

The White House spokesman did not say what issues Trump and the judge specifically discussed before the president decided he should join the court.

In his meeting with the judge the president 'discussed a range of topics and asked him several questions regarding his judicial philosophy, ' Spicer said.

'He was constantly looking for somebody who reflected Justice Scalia’s love of the Constitution, adherence to law, not making up the law as you go to fit your political whims or your personal interests,' Kellyanne Conway, a senior advisor to the president, also said.