Senate panel endorses N.D. US Attorney nominee

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The U.S. Senate's Judiciary Committee has endorsed Bismarck lawyer Tim Purdon as North Dakota's U.S. attorney.

The panel approved Purdon unanimously without discussion on Tuesday. His nomination now goes to the Senate floor for a vote.

Purdon declined comment.

The committee's vote on Purdon came after more than two hours of debate on Elena Kagan's nomination for the U.S. Supreme Court.

President Obama nominated Purdon for the job last February. The Oakes native was in line for a committee vote on June 24, but it was delayed.

The U.S. attorney is North Dakota's top federal prosecutor. Assistant U.S. attorney Lynn Jordheim has been filling in since Republican appointee Drew Wrigley resigned last September.

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