WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House dropped plans Friday to nominate an anti-abortion lawyer backed by Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell for a federal judgeship in Kentucky.
The decision to back off the nomination of Chad Meredith came amid an apparent split between McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul, his fellow Kentuckian, over the selection.
McConnell, a key player in putting conservatives on the federal bench during Donald Trump’s presidency, told The New York Times that the White House intended to follow through on its commitment to nominate Meredith until Paul objected. A Paul spokeswoman did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Friday evening.
Paul informed the White House that he would not return a “blue slip” consenting to Meredith’s nomination, the Times reported.
Meredith, a well-known conservative in Kentucky, defended the state’s anti-abortion laws in court.
President Joe Biden had intended to nominate Meredith for district court judge in eastern Kentucky. The plan, first revealed by the Courier Journal of Louisville, had languished for several weeks. The potential nomination had drawn resistance from Democrats.
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