Biden judicial nominee withdraws from consideration

Colleen Holland, a career law clerk, has asked the White House to withdraw her nomination to be a federal judge in the Western District of New York.

In a statement Tuesday, Holland cited personal reasons for asking the White House not to renominate him.

“I asked the President not to reintroduce my nomination to the Senate. This was a personal decision after careful consideration,” Holland said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a statement that he respected the decision and thanked him for his hard work.

“We respect Mr. Holland’s decision and appreciate his continued public service to the Western District as a seasoned attorney with deep integrity and legal knowledge. We will act quickly to appoint someone to the position,” the statement said.

At the time of the announcement, Mr. Holland was 39 years old, younger than most federal bench candidates. A hearing on Holland's nomination had not yet been scheduled.

Holland has been serving as a special prosecutor to the Chief Judge of the Western District of New York since 2021. Prior to that, he served as the judge's career law clerk since 2018. He also worked as an associate at several law firms.

Biden nominated Holland and three others in August 2023. reportedly At Schumer's urging, saying They were all “highly qualified, experienced, and committed to the rule of law and the Constitution.”