President Donald Trump is said to be likely to tap veteran Georgia attorney Randy Evans as U.S. ambassador to the European nation of Luxembourg, according to two people with direct knowledge of the discussions.
The well-connected GOP lawyer – his clients include Gov. Nathan Deal and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich – is a partner at the legal giant Dentons and once led the Republican National Lawyers Association. He also co-chairs Georgia’s judicial nominating commission.
The timing of Evans’ appointment remains uncertain, and he would have to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Evans declined to comment.
Evans was officially neutral in the GOP primary during the presidential race – he was a member of the Republican National Committee’s rule-setting panel and couldn’t pick sides – though he sought to tamp down rebellions against Trump.
Ahead of the convention, he also was a frequent guest on cable TV shows and national newspapers to detail the “what-ifs” of a Cleveland meltdown. He’s attended every GOP convention since Ronald Reagan’s nomination in 1980, so he had a knack for the quadrennial intrigue.
After Trump’s victory, he stepped down from his usual role of chairing the summer Georgia GOP convention but has remained a central figure in the state party.
The Luxembourg posting would seem to be a cushy gig. The wealthy nation, sandwiched between France, Belgium and Germany, is known for its medieval castles and wineries.
A lifelong confidant of Gingrich, the two could soon be a short hop away from each other in Europe: Trump has nominated Gingrich’s wife, Callista, to serve as ambassador to the Vatican.
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