A Biden judicial nominee is advancing through the Senate despite being unable to answer basic questions about the Constitution.
Judge Charnelle Bjelkengren advanced in an 11 to 10 vote after Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) return to Congress after a lengthy illness.
Biden judicial nominee stumped by basic Constitution questions approved in Senate committee https://t.co/PFhryC7YnN
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 11, 2023
"Bjelkengren garnered headlines earlier this year after appearing before the committee, where she said she did not know the answer to some questions from Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy about the Constitution," Fox News reported.
"Tell me what Article V of the Constitution does," Kennedy asked during her January confirmation hearing. "Article V is not coming to mind at the moment," Bjelkengren responded.
Sen. Ted Cruz:
“Charnelle Bjelkengren is so amazingly unqualified, she may well have the title for the least qualified nominee I've seen in 11 years serving on this committee. When Senator Kennedy asked her what Article 5 of the Constitution was, she had no idea.” pic.twitter.com/sBSO47efcC
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) May 11, 2023
Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz did not hold back in criticizing the Bjelkengren's nomination after the questioning.
"Charnelle Bjelkengren is so amazingly unqualified, she may well have the title for the least qualified nominee I've seen in 11 years serving on this committee," Cruz said.
"When Senator Kennedy asked her what Article 5 of the Constitution was, she had no idea," he added.
The vote is one of several nominees who were delayed over Feinstein's nearly three-month absence from Congress due to shingles.
Feinstein, 89, is the oldest member of the Senate and has faced calls for her to resign during her absence. She has already announced plans to step down in 2024 with Democrats fighting to replace her in California.
The senator's approval of Bjelkengren appears to solely fall on party lines without regard for her answers to basic questions about the Constitution that should cause serious concern for Americans.
