Washington – The White House has nominated Troy Eid, a lawyer and former counsel to Gov. Bill Owens, as Colorado’s U.S. attorney.
If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Eid will fill a post that John Suthers vacated a year and a half ago.
“I am grateful to President Bush and Attorney General (Alberto) Gonzales for nominating me,” Eid said in a statement Friday.
Both of Colorado’s senators – Republican Wayne Allard and Democrat Ken Salazar – said they support Eid’s nomination as the top federal prosecutor for Colorado.
“Sen. Allard is pleased that we finally have a nominee,” said Sean Conway, Allard’s chief of staff. “This has been a long process. This vacancy has lingered too long and it’s important to get a new U.S. attorney … as soon as possible.”
“I have worked with Mr. Troy Eid for several years,” Salazar said. “I know and respect his work and expect to support his nomination.”
Suthers left the post in December 2004 to become Colorado attorney general, replacing Ken Salazar after Salazar’s election to the Senate.
Allard sent the names of three possible nominees to the White House in December 2004. The process was delayed because of political standoffs over judicial nominees, then by the need to replace two Supreme Court justices.
William Leone, first assistant U.S. attorney, has filled in since Suthers’ departure. Leone said through a spokesman that he looks forward to working with the confirmed nominee and that he doesn’t plan to leave the office anytime soon.
Eid now starts an approval process that includes a hearing before the Senate’s Judiciary Committee. There is no official time frame for that process.
The Senate is in session through July, and its calendar is packed. If the Judiciary Committee does not hold a hearing on Eid before that, the nomination would be held over until at least September.
The nomination is not expected to be controversial, which could speed approval.
Eid, a shareholder at the law firm of Greenberg Traurig, practices land use and environmental law, federal Indian law, American Indian tribal law, business negotiations and public law.
Jack Abramoff, the Washington lobbyist who recently pleaded guilty to bribery, mail fraud and other charges, previously worked at Greenberg Traurig.
Eid and Abramoff both worked in divisions that represented American Indian tribes. But Eid has said he joined Greenberg Traurig in 2003, about the time Abramoff was being fired.
Eid’s wife, Allison, was named a Colorado Supreme Court justice in February.
