In brief: GOP narrows locations for convention to four

The Republican Party on Thursday announced four finalists to host its 2016 national convention – Cleveland, Dallas, Denver and Kansas City, Mo. – after Las Vegas withdrew its bid in the face of strong opposition from some conservatives in the GOP.

Cincinnati, which was vying as well, also dropped its bid ahead of the official announcement, which followed a conference call by the party’s site selection committee.

Members of the committee will visit the four remaining cities over the next several weeks and a final decision is expected in late summer or fall.

For a time, Las Vegas and Dallas were seen as the two front-runners to host Republicans. The cities boasted amenities that no others offered, including abundant hotel space and a clutch of generous GOP mega-donors prepared to guarantee the event’s financial success.

But Las Vegas, which has hosted all manner of conventions but never a national political gathering, was plagued by its libertine image, which is both a major tourist attraction and source of civic cringing.

Lawyer overcomes memo to win Senate approval

WASHINGTON – Former Justice Department lawyer David Barron won confirmation to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday, despite concerns raised about his role in justifying the killing of American citizens abroad suspected of terrorist activities.

The Senate voted 53-45 to give final approval to Barron. A day earlier, the chamber voted to end debate on his nomination despite a last-ditch effort by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to block him.

Barron wrote at least one memo that provided the legal justification for the targeted killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S. citizen who was slain by a drone strike in Yemen in 2011. Senators from both parties had pressed for access to the document as a precondition for even considering Barron’s confirmation.

The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Boston, hears cases from the New England area. Barron’s confirmation continues a clearing of a backlog in pending judicial nominations after Democrats lowered the voting threshold to advance the president’s choices.