Matthew T. Schelp

From 1996 to 1999 Schelp was an active member in the Judge Advocate General's Corps of the U.S. Navy. From 2002 to 2012 he was a Naval Reserve Judge Advocate General.[1]

On November 6, 2019, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Schelp to serve as a United States district judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. On December 2, 2019, his nomination was sent to the Senate. Trump nominated Schelp to the seat to be vacated by Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr., who would assume senior status on August 1, 2020.[3] A hearing on his nomination before the Senate Judiciary Committee was held on December 4, 2019.[4] On January 3, 2020, his nomination was returned to the president under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate.[5] Later that day, he was re-nominated to the same seat.[6] On January 16, 2020, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 16–6 vote.[7] On February 11, 2020, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 72–22 vote.[8] On February 12, 2020, his nomination was confirmed by a 72–23 vote.[9] He received his judicial commission on August 4, 2020.[10]

On November 29, 2021 he ruled against a federal vaccination mandate for health care workers in ten states.[11] The opinion was called "misleading" and "highly disingenuous" as it falsely indicated the vaccine did not reduce transmission. The cited filing by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services could not quantify its rule's impact due to uncertainty about the extent of transmission among vaccinated individuals but did state with evidence that it certainly decreased transmission risk.[12]