WASHINGTON –  U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement on today’s Senate Judiciary Committee unanimous passage of the nominations of Dana J. Boente to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and John P. Fishwick, Jr., to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia:

“Mr. Boente’s long career as a prosecutor and current position as Acting U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District makes him exceptionally well-qualified to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District. Mr. Boente has extensive experience in a variety of cases involving national security, public corruption, and financial fraud cases. We're encouraged by this step in the process. The full Senate should waste no time in bringing this well qualified nominee up for a vote,” Sens. Warner and Kaine said in the joint statement.

“Having practiced law for over 30 years in Western Virginia, John Fishwick has extensive experience in civil and criminal proceedings, fighting against injustice and for the people he represents. Mr. Fishwick is highly respected by his colleagues and has been elected or appointed to a number of leadership positions in legal organizations,” Sens. Warner and Kaine said. “We are pleased to urge our Senate colleagues to support his nomination to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Western District, and will press Senate leadership for a vote as soon as possible.”

The Eastern District has offices in Alexandria, Richmond, Newport News and Norfolk. The Western District has offices in Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Roanoke, Danville, Abingdon and Big Stone Gap.

Dana J. Boente has served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia since 2000. Currently, Boente serves as the Acting U.S. Attorney, a position he has held since 2013 and from 2008 to 2009, as well as First Assistant U.S. Attorney, a position he has held since 2007. While at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he served as the Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana from December 2012 to September 2013 and, while on detail, as the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from 2005 to 2007. From 1984 to 2000, he served as a Trial Attorney in the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Boente began his legal career as a clerk for the Honorable J. Waldo Ackerman of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois from 1982 to 1984. He received his J.D. magna cum laude in 1982 from St. Louis University School of Law, and his M.B.A. in 1977 and B.S.B.A. cum laude in 1976, both from St. Louis University.

John P. Fishwick, Jr., has been a partner in the Virginia law firm of LichtensteinFishwick PLC and its predecessor firms since 1996, where he practices both civil and criminal litigation. Prior to that, he was a partner in the law firms of Fishwick, Jones & Glenn from 1992 to 1995, Fishwick & Jones from 1991 to 1992, and Fishwick & Young from 1988 to 1989. From 1984 to 1986 he was an associate at McGuire Woods. Fishwick was a solo practitioner from 1989 to 1991 and 1986 to 1988. Fishwick clerked for the Honorable James C. Turk of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia from 1983 to 1984. He received his J.D. cum laude in 1983 from Washington and Lee University School of Law and his B.A. in 1979 from Harvard University.

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