COLUMBUS, Miss. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson has recommended a north Mississippi district attorney for an open position on the federal bench.
The Democratic congressman sent a letter to President Joe Biden endorsing Scott Colom as judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, The Commercial Dispatch reports.
Colom, of Columbus, is currently serving as district attorney for the 16th Circuit Court District, which includes Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee and Oktibbeha counties.
“Obviously, it’s a great honor,” Colom told the newspaper. “As excited as I am for this opportunity, I have to also say that I love being district attorney and I’ll always appreciate the faith the voters put in me.”
A graduate of Columbus High School, Millsaps College and the University of Wisconsin School of Law, Colom was the first Black and youngest-ever Justice Court judge in Lowndes County history when he took the post in 2011 at age 28. He was appointed municipal court judge in 2012 and then became the city of Columbus' first Black prosecutor later that year.
Colom was elected district attorney in 2015, and reelected in 2019. He is the first elected Black district attorney in District 16.
The federal judge position is open following the departure of Judge Michael P. Mills, who retired on Nov. 1 at age 65 after 20 years in the position. The judge presides over the U.S. District Court in Oxford.
If Biden approves the recommendation, the U.S. Senate will hold a confirmation hearing. There is no set timetable.
Colom’s term as district attorney expires Dec. 31, 2023. He said if he is elevated to the federal bench, he plans to continue living in Columbus.
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This story has been edited to correct attribution to The Commercial Dispatch.
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