A U.S. appeals court judge has decided after “careful consideration” to postpone his retirement in apparent response to President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory last month, HuffPost reported Monday.
In a Dec. 13 letter addressed to President Joe Biden, Judge James Andrew Wynn of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit announced that he had changed his mind and would not be retiring after all. Wynn, 70, had previously announced in January 2024 his intention to step down.
“I write to advise that, after careful consideration, I have decided to continue in regular active service as a United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit,” Wynn wrote. “As a result of that decision, I respectfully withdraw my letter to you of January 5, 2024. I apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused.”
Reuters reported that Wynn, who was named to the bench by former President Barack Obama, is the first Democratic appointee to postpone their retirement from active service since Trump’s win. It comes after the Senate failed to confirmed Wynn’s successor.
Two U.S. district court judges, Max Cogburn and Algenon Marbley, have also postponed their retirements, likewise depriving Trump of an opportunity to pick a replacement. Republicans have in turn cried foul, with allies of the president-elect accusing the judges of misconduct.
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