President Biden Nominates Erek L. Barron To Serves As Maryland's U.S. Attorney
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WJZ) -- President Joe Biden announced eight nominees for U.S. Attorneys across the country Monday, including here in Maryland where he nominated Erek L. Barron for the position. Barron would be the first Black U.S. Attorney in Maryland's history.
The nominees were chosen " for their devotion to enforcing the law, their professionalism, their experience and credentials in this field, their dedication to pursuing equal justice for all, and their commitment to the independence of the Department of Justice," a press release from the White House stated.
Biden is launching an effort to tackle the uptick in gun violence across the country over the past 18 months. He wants to put more cops on the beat, support crime prevention programs and crackdown on illegal gun trafficking.
Barron is a partner at the law firm Whiteford Taylor & Preston LLP and has been a member of the Maryland legislature since 2015. He served as Counsel and Policy Advisor for then-Senator Biden from 2007 to 2009 on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs.
Barron previously served as a federal prosecutor in the DOJ from 2006 to 2007 and a Maryland prosecutor in Prince George's County and Baltimore City.
He received his LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2007 and his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School in 1999 and his bachelor's from the University of Maryland at College Park in 1996.
After learning of Biden's pick, the Maryland delegation shared their support of his nomination.
"Maryland needs a U.S. Attorney with integrity and independence, as well as the strength and experience to tackle the unacceptably high level of violent crime in Baltimore City. With Senator Van Hollen, I was proud to recommend Erek Barron for this position as a guardian of the civil rights and civil liberties of all Marylanders," said Senator Cardin. "Erek has demonstrated a passion for public service throughout his entire career and he will bring to this position a unique set of professional experiences and skills that will serve Marylanders well. His track record of enacting reforms to the criminal justice system and serving as a federal and state prosecutor – including prosecuting cases in Baltimore City and Prince George's County – make him well-positioned to take on this lead federal law enforcement role for our state."
"Our state must have a U.S. attorney who is fiercely committed to delivering equal justice under the law to every Marylander. Erek Barron's tireless efforts to build a better, fairer justice system in Maryland, his years of experience serving our constituents, and his deep understanding of the challenges we face qualify him as an outstanding nomination for this position. Together with Senator Cardin, I was proud to recommend Erek to serve in this role, and I know he will work with us to improve public safety, address gun violence, uphold the City of Baltimore's consent decree, and strengthen our justice system. We'll be working to confirm his historic nomination in the Senate at once," said Senator Van Hollen.
