Davis recommends Beck for U.S. attorney

U.S. Rep. Artur Davis said there is opposition from Alabama's senators to the nomination of Joe Van Heest to be the next U. S. attorney in this district so he is nominating defense attorney George Beck.
Davis, in a statement, said he has learned the White House will not nominate Van Heest for the chief prosecutor in the Middle District of Alabama because of the state's U.S. Senate delegation.
"I believe that Van Heest would have made a superb chief federal prosecutor for the district, and I am disappointed that he will not have the opportunity to serve," Davis said.
The congressman, a Birmingham Democrat who is running for governor, said he will instead recommend Beck to the White House and the U.S. Department of Justice. He said Beck is a longtime veteran of the Montgomery legal community.
"Beck has built a bipartisan reputation as one of the most respected and successful members of the state's criminal defense bar and in my opinion would be confirmed by the United States Senate," Davis said.
Beck did not respond to calls to his Montgomery law office on Thursday afternoon.
Attempts to reach Alabama's U.S. senators, Richard Shelby of Tuscaloosa and Jeff Sessions of Mobile, were unsuccessful.
Some Democrats have voiced their displeasure over Beck because he represented Nick Bailey, a key defense witness in the case against former Gov. Don Siegelman. Attorneys in the Middle District prosecuted Siegelman.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen