WASHINGTON – The White House formally announced the nomination Tuesday of a former federal prosecutor who specializes in white-collar crime to be the next U.S. attorney for Maryland.
Thomas DiBiagio, 41, was an assistant U.S. attorney from 1991 to February 2000, when he left to join the Washington firm Dyer Ellis & Joseph, where he is now a partner.
“I know him and he knows the office, and I don’t expect any particular problems with the transition at all,” acting U.S. Attorney Stephen Schenning said Tuesday.
DiBiagio will replace Lynne Battaglia, who left the position in January to take a seat on the Maryland Court of Appeals. Schenning, her first assistant, has been acting as U.S. attorney since her resignation.
DiBiagio, who lives in Parkton, was first approached about the job in June. His nomination was formally announced Tuesday and will now be submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee for confirmation. That hearing will not likely be held for at least a month, White House officials said.
Since 1990, DiBiagio has been an adjunct professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law. He has taught maritime law and this semester started teaching federal criminal law in anticipation of his appointment as U.S. attorney.
“He’s been highly regarded here as an adjunct,” said Steven Davison, associate dean for academic affairs at the law school. “We are obviously thrilled.”
Davison said DiBiagio has indicated that he would continue teaching the federal criminal law class one semester a year.
“We are very pleased to have him teaching at our school,” Davison said. “He brings great expertise and knowledge of a practical matter.”
Rep. Robert Ehrlich, R-Timonium, whose input on the selection was sought by the White House, said DiBiagio is “the right man for the job.”
“We need a tough federal crime fighter to reduce drug use and gun violence in Maryland,” Ehrlich said.