Matthew Petersen, one of President Donald Trump's nominees to become a federal judge, has withdrawn his consideration after a not-so-impressive Senate confirmation hearing.
Sen. John Kennedy asked Petersen, "Have you ever tried a jury trial?" Peterson responded he hadn't. His response was the same after subsequently being asked about civil, criminal, state and federal trials.
Petersen was Trump's pick for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. It's uncommon for a person tapped for a lifetime federal judge appointment to have no experience in the courtroom.
Petersen also struggled to answer Kennedy's questions about his level of experience and basic courtroom procedures.
Kennedy later told CNN: "I think he's whip smart, probably. But you can't just walk into a federal courthouse for the very first time and say, 'Here I am, I think I want to be a judge.' It just doesn't work that way."
