Peter Nickles
WASHINGTON (Legal Newline)-District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty plans to nominate Peter Nickles as the District's permanent attorney general, sources say.
The Washington Post reported Tuesday that city government sources say the mayor will make the recommendation, and a majority of City Council members told the newspaper they will likely support the nomination.
Nickles, 69, is the Democratic mayor's former general counsel who has been serving as interim attorney general since Linda Singer resigned in December. Nickles can serve six months on an interim basis. That term expires July 3.
A former veteran corporate lawyer at Covington & Burling, Nickles sparked some criticism recently for firing several city lawyers as part of his campaign to improve the District's AG office, which is the seventh largest in the nation, with 750 employees and a $90 million budget.
Nickles, who took office in December, is aiming to transform the attorney general's office into a "first-rate law firm" with "strong, young, able stars," he has said.
Although most mayoral appointees are required by law to live in the District, Nickles lives with his wife in Great Falls, Va. He has said if appointed he would comply with the residency requirement.
From Legal Newsline: Reach reporter Chris Rizo by e-mail at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.