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John Kennedy (R-L) is the terror of any nominee for federal or district judge. After the president puts their names on the table, they must go through the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Kennedy is currently waiting with open arms to ask them a few questions.
The senator has made a name for himself for complicating and sometimes dumbing down nominees with his questions, which he throws without an ounce of violence. With no bladed weapons or firearms, his tool of combat is none other than logic. For those unfamiliar with it, Kennedy repeats the following process: “if p is true, then q must be true.” For some nominees, this is more damaging than a stab wound.
This time, the victim was Charnelle Marie Bjelkengren, who currently serves as a Spokane County Superior Court judge and was nominated by Biden to be a district judge. The senator welcomed her in the best way, first thanking Dick Durbin (D-ILL) for speaking and then congratulating all the nominees present.
“Judge, tell me what Article V of the Constitution does,” Kennedy fired back at Bjelkengren. “Article V is not coming to mind at the moment,” the judge retorted. “How about Article II?” the senator tried again. “Neither is Article II,” the judicial nominee replied.
Specifically, Article V establishes and details the mechanism to modify the Constitution by adding amendments, while Article II defines the Executive Branch, enumerates its powers and establishes the process of impeachment.
“Okay,” Kennedy sketched, scratching his head a bit before continuing. “Do you know what purposivism is?” he asked for the third time. In this case, Bjelkengren managed to give a slightly longer answer than usual.
“In my 12 years as an assistant attorney general and my nine years serving as a judge, I was not faced with that precise question. We are the highest trial court in Washington State, so I’m frequently faced with issues that I’m not familiar with, and I thoroughly review the law. I research and apply the law to the facts presented to me,” the nominee said.
“Well, you’re going to be faced with it if you’re confirmed, I can assure you of that,” Kennedy warned, with no further questions for Bjelkengren, who came to Biden recommended by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA).
As for the latter term mentioned, according to Merriam-Webster, it refers to “any of various theories of nature or of human and animal behavior that regard purpose or conscious intent as a basal fact.”
Kennedy won’t seek Louisiana governorship
After months of speculation about Kennedy’s possible candidacy for governor, he himself confirmed that he will remain in the Senate. The announcement was made in an e-mail to his supporters.
“I have looked hard into my heart and decided to remain in the Senate and not run for governor. Senator and governor are very different jobs. At this juncture, I just think I can help my state and my country more in the Senate,” wrote Kennedy, who first came to the upper chamber in 2017 and just won re-election to a second term.
Previously, he had flirted with seeking the governorship of Louisiana, currently held by Democrat John Bel Edwards, as he was the best-positioned candidate to turn his home state red again.
Joaquín Núñez es licenciado en comunicación periodística por la Universidad Católica Argentina. Se especializa en el escenario internacional y en la política nacional norteamericana. Confeso hincha de Racing Club de Avellaneda. Contacto: [email protected] // Joaquín Núñez has a degree in journalistic communication from the Universidad Católica Argentina. He specializes in the international scene and national American politics. Confessed fan of Racing Club of Avellaneda. Contact: [email protected]