The White House confirmed Friday that South Carolina District Court Judge Michelle Childs is under consideration as a candidate to fill the seat of retiring Justice Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court.
“Judge Childs is among multiple individuals under consideration for the Supreme Court, and we are not going to move her nomination on the Court of Appeals while the President is considering her for this vacancy,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement. “At the same time, reporting indicating that the President is only seriously considering three potential nominees is incorrect.”
Childs was expected to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee in early February for a confirmation hearing after President Joe Biden had nominated her for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Since then the Biden administration has postponed the judge’s appearance in the Senate while she is considered as a potential pick for the SCOTUS seat.
Following Breyer’s Thursday announcement of a forthcoming retirement, Biden vowed to nominate the first black woman to replace Breyer on the bench.
“The president has stated and reiterated his commitment to nominating a black woman to the Supreme Court and certainly stands by that,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
