WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden's nominee for U.S. attorney for Maryland could make history as the first Black U.S. attorney in the state, if confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
On Monday, Biden nominated Maryland House Del. Erek Barron (D) of Prince George's County, District 24, for U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. If confirmed, Barron would also be the first Democrat to hold the position in 20 years.
In addition to being a partner at Whiteford Taylor & Preston LLP, the 47-year-old has been a member of Maryland's legislature since 2015. Before that, he worked as a federal prosecutor and as an assistant state’s attorney in Prince George’s County and Baltimore.
Barron also has past experience working directly with Biden, having previously served as a counsel and policy advisor to the then-senator on the Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on crime and drugs from 2006 to 2007 and on the Obama-Biden transition team's justice and civil rights review committee.
Among his major accomplishments, Barron co-authored the 2016 Justice Reinvestment Act, a comprehensive, bipartisan overhaul of Maryland's sentencing and corrections practices that increases supervision and treatment and decreases incarceration rates in Maryland prisons.
Barron received his LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2007, his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School in 1999, and his B.A. from the University of Maryland at College Park in 1996.
He and seven other U.S. attorney nominees are the first to be put forward by the White House under the Biden administration. Of the eight nominees, six are Black and three are women.
On social media, Maryland politicians were quick to praise Biden's nomination.
"MD must have a US attorney who will deliver equal justice & improve public safety," wrote Senator Chris Van Hollen on Twitter. "Erek Barron is the right choice. He is an individual of good character and integrity."
If confirmed, Barron would succeed Robert Hur, who resigned in February shortly after Biden took office. Jonathan Lenzner has been serving as acting U.S. attorney for Maryland since that time.
