Carson City, NV (AP) - President Joe Biden’s administration has nominated Nevada Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson to serve as U.S. Attorney in the state.
Frierson, who has worked as a public defender and local prosecutor when not in the statehouse, is among 37 U.S. attorneys that the Biden administration has nominated since taking office. The Las Vegas Democrat has served as Assembly Speaker since 2016 and is currently presiding over the Nevada Legislature’s redistricting process.
U.S. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen submitted Frierson’s name to the White House earlier this year and the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported last month that he was being considered for the post.
“Jason Frierson is a Nevada trailblazer who has served his state exceptionally well, and I’m confident he will continue to do so as our next U.S. Attorney,” Cortez Masto said in a statement on Friday.
Frierson will replace Christopher Chiou, who has served as acting U.S. Attorney since Trump appointee Nick Trutanich left when Biden took office.
The Justice Department’s 93 U.S. attorneys, who are responsible for federal criminal prosecutions in their respective districts, are likely to be central to efforts to combat violent crime.