Sen. Kennedy celebrates victory after Biden judicial nominee who couldn't answer basic legal questions withdraws nomination

Sen. John Kennedy (R) declared victory on Wednesday over news that Charnelle Marie Bjelkengren's federal judicial nomination is not being renewed.

Last January, Kennedy stumped Bjelkengren during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing when he asked her basic questions about the Constitution. Bjelkengren serves on the Spokane County Superior Court, and President Joe Biden had nominated her for a federal district court position.

At that infamous hearing, Bjelkengren could not explain the content of Article II and Article V of the U.S. Constitution. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) reflected on the hearing days later, saying that Bjelkengren had "flunked" questions on basic civics subjects that "high schoolers across America learn each year."

Bjelkengren's nomination expired at the end of 2023 because, even though it was advanced out of committee, the full Senate never voted on it. Biden could have renominated Bjelkengren, but her name was absent from the list of the re-nominations that Biden submitted to the Senate this week. That means Bjelkengren will not serve on the federal judiciary.

Kennedy celebrated the development.

"Biden sent us a nominee who didn't know the basics of the U.S. Constitution. Judge Bjelkengren is right to bow out," he said. "Unfortunately, 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."

Bjelkengren, meanwhile, revealed that she asked Biden not to re-submit her name for nomination.

"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," she said in a statement. "My hope is for the swift confirmation of the next nominee."

"I care deeply about justice, Spokane County Superior Court, the people of Spokane County and Washington State," she added. "In the last year and a half, while I navigated the nomination process, it was taxing on both a personal and professional level. I am eager to refocus all of my energy and efforts on the good work my colleagues and I do on a daily basis, in Spokane County."

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