U.S. Sens. Ken Salazar and Mark Udall submitted the names of three possible candidates for U.S. attorney for Colorado to President-elect Barack Obama on Thursday.
Another two names, including that of Denver’s manager of safety, were submitted for Obama to choose from as U.S. marshal for Colorado.
The recommendations come days before Obama is sworn into office and on the same day Salazar faced a confirmation hearing for his pending appointment as interior secretary.
Matt Lee-Ashley, a spokesman for Salazar, said that Salazar would soon be recommending names to Udall and incoming U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet for two vacancies among federal judges. Those names would come from a citizen panel that Salazar convened last year to consider judicial nominees for the lifetime presidential appointment, Lee-Ashley said.
For Colorado U.S. attorney, Salazar and Udall recommended Gov. Bill Ritter’s deputy chief of staff Stephanie Villafuerte; 10th Judicial District Attorney William “Bill” Thiebaut Jr. of Pueblo; or John Walsh III, a partner at Hill & Robbins P.C. in Denver.
For U.S. marshal, the senators recommended John Kammerzell, director of Colorado’s Peace Officers Standards and Training board, or Alvin “Al” LaCabe Jr., manager of safety for Denver.
Once Obama is sworn in, he can select any of the names for the posts or go back to Udall for additions or a new list.
“The individuals Sen. Udall and I have submitted to President-elect Barack Obama represent the best in Colorado’s law community,” Salazar said in a release. “They would bring a range of backgrounds and experiences to these positions, are highly qualified and would serve the people of Colorado well.”
Udall said he had been consulted on the recommendations.
“I know that Sen. Salazar wanted to get this important work done before he left the Senate, and I have appreciated working with him to identify well-qualified, experienced and dedicated Coloradans for these positions,” he said in a statement.
It took President George W. Bush several months to make his selections for federal appointments in 2001, but Obama has signaled a desire to move more quickly.
The U.S. attorney will be Colorado’s chief prosecutor, while the U.S. marshal is responsible for judicial security, serving federal warrants, hunting fugitives and performing other law enforcement jobs.
Felisa Cardona: 303-954-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com
