BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) -- The U.S. Senate's Judiciary Committee has delayed endorsing a Bismarck lawyer who's in line to be North Dakota's next U.S. attorney.
Tim Purdon was one of three U.S. attorney nominees on the committee's discussion list Thursday in Washington, D.C. The others were from Tennessee and Illinois.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (LAY'-hee) of Vermont said during the hearing that a committee vote on Purdon's nomination was being delayed. Leahy did not explain why.
The U.S. attorney is North Dakota's top federal prosecutor. President Obama nominated Purdon for the job last February. Purdon is a former North Dakota Democratic national committeeman.
Purdon needs to be confirmed by the Senate before he takes the U.S. attorney's job.
