WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Thad Cochran, R-Miss., today welcomed the White House announcement that President Trump intends to nominate D. Michael Hurst of Madison and William Chadwick (Chad) Lamar of Oxford to serve as U.S. Attorneys for Mississippi.

A White House statement issued Thursday announced the President’s choice of Hurst to be the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi and Lamar to be the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi.  Cochran and Wicker recommended Hurst and Lamar, both of whom have served as Assistant U.S. Attorneys in their respective districts.

“President Trump made the right call by nominating Hurst and Lamar to lead the U.S. Attorneys’ offices in Mississippi,” Wicker said.  “These experienced men are up to the task at hand and have wide support across the state.  I am hopeful that the Senate will take up their confirmation without delay.”

"I am pleased that Mike Hurst and Chad Lamar have been chosen for these important positions of public trust.  Both are talented attorneys who are well-qualified to serve the nation and Mississippi well,” Cochran said.  “I will do all I can to support the timely consideration of their nominations.”

In their earlier recommendation to the President, Cochran and Wicker said, “Mike and Chad are exceptionally well-qualified to take on the important and challenging role of U.S. Attorney.  We are confident they would serve our state and our nation with integrity and enthusiasm.”

The Hurst and Lamar nominations are subject to Senate confirmation.  Within their districts, U.S. Attorneys are responsible for being the chief prosecutors for the United States in criminal and civil law cases.

Hurst is currently director of the Mississippi Justice Institute, a division of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy.  He served as Assistant U.S. Attorney in Jackson from 2006 to 2015, working the criminal division.  Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s office, Hurst was legislative director and counsel to U.S. Representative Chip Pickering (R-Miss.), as well as counsel to the Constitution Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee.  Hurst is a graduate of Millsaps College and the George Washington University Law School.

Lamar has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District since 1991, serving in both the Criminal and Civil Divisions.  He is currently the chief of the Criminal Division, and has extensive management experience within the Office of the U.S. Attorney.  Lamar has degrees from Millsaps College, the University of Mississippi Lamar School of Law, and the Boston University School of Law.