(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — President Joe Biden nominated April Perry to replace former U.S. Attorney John Lausch in June 2023, but questions still remain over when — or if — Perry will actually be able to begin work.
Perry, who would be the first woman to hold the position of Chicago's top federal prosecutor, is still waiting to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Perry's confirmation has been blocked by Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) to protest the indictments of former President Donald Trump.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has repeatedly called on Vance to end the blockade on Perry's confirmation and the confirmation of the top federal prosecutor in Cleveland.
"[Vance] says that he ran for office to fight the criminals and not the cops," Durbin said in December 2023. "It turns out to be a hollow promise when he's holding up criminal prosecutors at a professional level in two major parts of the United States — one of them his own state."
There are 93 U.S. attorneys across the country. Their responsibilities include leading federal law enforcement and any civil litigation in which the United States is a party.
Now, Perry's nomination has been on hold for so long that it could be in doubt.
If Democrats lose the White House in November, a new president would likely replace the top prosecutors across the country, including in Chicago.
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