Judicial Nominee Asks White House to Withdraw Her

(WatchDogReport.org) – Biden administration’s nominee to be New York’s Western District federal trial judge, Colleen Holland, asked the White House on January 9 to formally withdraw her nomination. The nominee, who is known for being a career law clerk, published a statement where she cited some personal matters as the main reasons why she’s asking the White House not to re-nominate her.

In the statement, Holland said that while she thanked the Biden administration for considering her for the position and showing confidence in her career, she asked US President Joe Biden not to “resubmit” her nomination to the Senate. She added this was a “personal decision” that she took after “careful consideration.”

In a separate statement, Senate Majority Leader and New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer’s spokesperson said that while he feels “surprised” by Holland’s decision, he also respected it and thanked her for her service. The spokesperson pointed out that Holland delivered a great job as an “accomplished lawyer,” and noted she always showed a legal intellect and profound integrity. Schumer’s spokesperson also said that the Senate Majority Leader will move “expeditiously” with the Biden administration to nominate another person for the judicial position as soon as possible.

At the moment she announced her decision, Holland was only 39 years old, which, according to different reports, is considerably younger than the vast majority of nominees to the federal bench. The Senate and the White House haven’t scheduled a hearing for her nomination.

She has served as the special counsel to New York’s Western District chief judge since 2021. Before that role, Holland was a career law clerk for the same chief judge since 2018 and also worked as an associate at numerous law firms in the United States.

President Biden nominated her and three others in August 2023, upon Schumer’s recommendation. Different reports said that he described the four of them as experienced and qualified nominees who are devoted to the American Constitution.