Our friends at RedState covered this development, too. It’s not a massive win, but a ‘W’ nonetheless. Joe Biden lost two judicial nominees, one of which was gutted like a fish on live television by Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA). It’s not like the Louisiana Republican whipped out some crazy Jedi mind trick. He asked a basic question about the U.S. Constitution, specifically Articles II and V, and the nominee couldn't answer the question. Judge Charnelle Bjelkengren, the now former nominee for the US District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, was stumped. And now, she's cried ‘uncle’! She’s done, along with another Biden nominee (via Reuters):
A state court judge in Washington state and a law clerk to a federal judge in Rochester, New York who were both nominated by President Joe Biden to become federal trial court judges have withdrawn their names from further consideration.
Spokane County Superior Court Judge Charnelle Bjelkengren and Colleen Holland of Rochester were two of five nominees whose nominations to life-tenured positions on the bench expired at the end of 2023 and were not among 18 nominees the White House resubmitted on Monday for further consideration by the Senate.
[…]
"I asked the President not to re-nominate me due to the uncertainty of my confirmation, and in order to advance the important work of the federal judiciary," Bjelkengren said. "My hope is for the swift confirmation of the next nominee."
Holland called her choice to withdraw from consideration "a personal decision made after careful consideration."
Kennedy‘s response: “If you want to be an auto mechanic, you gotta know what a spark plug is.”
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 31, 2023
If I got embarrassed like this, I’d have the dignity to resign from the bench entirely:
Pres. Biden sent us a nominee who didn’t know the basics of the U.S. Constitution.
— John Kennedy (@SenJohnKennedy) January 10, 2024
Judge Bjelkengren is right to bow out, but Pres. Biden just keeps trying to put unqualified people on the bench—for life.
People who don't know the law have no business running our courtrooms. pic.twitter.com/QN1325hGk5
Recommended
"Judge, tell me what Article V of the Constitution does?" Kennedy asked.
"Article V is not coming to mind at the moment," Bjelkengren replied after a long pause.
"How about Article II?" Kennedy followed up.
"Neither is Article II," said Bjelkengren.
Durbin says he’s confident that Charnelle Bjelkengren, Biden nominee who was stumped by Kennedy over the Constitution, will be confirmed.
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 31, 2023
“The honest answer is, there aren’t many members of the Judiciary committee who can answer all those questions,” he said
It’s not a big scalp, but we clipped two of Biden’s people. I’ll take it.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member