WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama announced Friday that he has nominated Deborah Gilg as the next U.S. attorney for Nebraska.
The appointment still must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Presidential nominees awaiting Senate confirmation are generally advised not to give any substantive interviews to reporters, and Gilg stuck to that advice when contacted Friday by The World-Herald.
“I’m honored to be named, and I look forward to the Senate confirmation process,” she said.
Gilg, who would be the state’s first female U.S. attorney, has experience in both criminal and civil law.
She was Keith County attorney from 1987 to 2002 and now has a private practice in Omaha, specializing in family law, estate planning and civil litigation.
Gilg recently resigned as part- time deputy felony prosecutor for Saunders County, a role she held for more than five years.
An Omaha native, Gilg graduated from the University of Nebraska College of Law.
Obama announced Gilg’s nomination and the nomination of three other U.S. attorneys in a press release.
“These fine men and women have demonstrated the extensive knowledge of the law and deep commitment to public service Americans deserve from their United States attorneys,” Obama said in the release. “It is with the utmost confidence in their ability and integrity that I nominate them for the weighty task of pursuing justice on behalf of the American people.”
Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., recommended Gilg for the position. Gilg has worked as a volunteer on Nelson’s campaigns.
“Deb’s substantial and broad experience as a prosecutor, county attorney and attorney in private practice will serve the citizens of Nebraska well as our next U.S. attorney,” Nelson said Friday.
U.S. attorneys serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers for their districts, coordinating task forces and prosecuting cases such as gang-related drug trafficking and white-collar crime.
Joe Stecher, the current U.S. attorney, was appointed by President George W. Bush in April 2007 to replace Mike Heavican, who left to become chief justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court.
Contact the writer:
202-662-7270, joe.morton@owh.com
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
