Frierson confirmed as Nevada’s US attorney
WASHINGTON – Nevada Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson, D-Las Vegas, was confirmed by the Senate on a voice vote Wednesday to be the next U.S. attorney for the state.
Frierson was one of six U.S. attorneys and two U.S. marshals nominated by President Joe Biden but held up by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas over an unrelated disagreement.
Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, both Democrats, recommended Frierson to the White House last year.
“This position has been vacant for over a year, and I’m thrilled to celebrate his confirmation. I know he will get right to work keeping Nevadans safe,” Cortez Masto said in a statement.
Rosen, in a statement, said Frierson“is a dedicated Nevadan who will lead with integrity to serve the people of our state, protect public safety, and ensure justice is carried out.”
Biden nominated Frierson on Nov. 12 to serve as U.S. attorney, a post that has been filled by an acting top prosecutor for over a year.
A telephone call to Frierson seeking comment was not immediately returned.
Frierson would replace Nick Trutanich, who served as the last confirmed U.S. attorney following his appointment by President Donald Trump.
Cortez Masto and Rosen both took the Senate floor since his nomination to speak about Frierson’s qualifications to be the top federal prosecutor in Nevada.
Frierson has served as speaker since the 2017 session.
A Las Vegas Democrat, Frierson was an undergraduate at the University of Nevada, Reno, and received a law degree from the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV. He sailed through a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last year.
His nomination was not controversial. Cotton’s objections centered on the Justice Department’s failure to inform him why it had not agreed to represent and defend four deputy U.S. marshals in an unrelated civil lawsuit filed after confrontations with protesters in Portland, Oregon.
The 93 U.S. attorneys prosecute federal crimes and represent the United States in civil cases in their respective districts. U.S. attorneys have traditionally been appointed by the president and require Senate confirmation.
Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.
