Henry Leventis nominated to be next U.S. attorney

• Axios reported in December that Leventis was being vetted by the FBI in advance of a likely nomination. Other prominent attorneys considered for the position included Alex Little, Tricia Herzfeld, Chris Sabis and Sara Beth Myers, who ran unsuccessfully for Nashville district attorney earlier this year.

Why it matters: If confirmed by the Senate, as expected, Leventis will be the top federal prosecutor for the Nashville area.

Flashback: Prior to taking a job as a criminal defense attorney in 2020, Leventis worked for over five years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Nashville office.

• He also had stints as a trial attorney in the criminal section of the Department of Justice's civil rights division and as assistant solicitor in the Ninth Circuit Solicitor's Office in South Carolina.
• If confirmed, he will replace the current U.S. Attorney Mark Wildasin.

What he's saying: Former U.S. Attorney Ed Yarbrough, who has been a colleague of Leventis, said he has the "skill, experience and temperament to be a great U.S. attorney."

• "Middle Tennessee is very fortunate that President Biden has chosen him to serve in that important position."
• Leventis tells Axios he is "honored" to be nominated and looks forward to the confirmation process.