Matthew Spencer Petersen (born 1970) is an American attorney who served as a member of the United States Federal Election Commission. In 2017, he was nominated by President Donald Trump to be a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Petersen withdrew his nomination following a confrontational exchange with Senator John Kennedy during his confirmation hearing. On August 26, 2019, Petersen announced his resignation from the FEC, effective August 31. In September 2019, Petersen joined the law firm Holtzman Vogel Josefiak Torchinsky as a partner where he practices political law. Early life and education Petersen was born in Torrance, California and raised in Mapleton, Utah. He received an associate degree with high honors from Utah Valley State College in 1993, then went on to graduate magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Brigham Young University in 1996. Petersen received his Juris Doctor in 1999 from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was a member of the Virginia Law Review. Career From 1999 to 2002, he practiced election and campaign finance law at Wiley Rein in Washington, D.C. From 2002 to 2008, Petersen served in senior staff positions in both houses of Congress. From 2002 to 2005, he served as counsel to the United States House Committee on House Administration. During his tenure, he was involved in crafting the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and the House–Senate negotiations that culminated in the bill's ultimate passage. From 2005 to 2008, he served as Republican chief counsel to the United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. He was chief adviser to the Republican floor manager during the Senate debate on the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, the most recent comprehensive revision of federal lobbying and government ethics laws. Federal Election Commission Petersen was nominated to the Federal Election Commission by President George W. Bush on June 12, 2008, and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on June 24, 2008. He served as Chairman in 2010 and 2016. On December 18, 2018, he was elected Vice-Chair. On August 26, 2019, he announced his resignation, effective August 31. Early in Petersen's tenure, the Supreme Court of the United States held in Citizens United v. FEC that the federal prohibition against corporations and labor unions making independent expenditures in connection with elections violated the free