State Senator Ed Tarver (D-Augusta) is on the short list of candidates for U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of Georgia.

Here are pieces of the article from the Augusta Chronicle.

It's become an open secret that state Sen. Ed Tarver is on the short list to be appointed U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Georgia by President Obama.

If he gets the job, he'd be the first black to serve in the post and would go from representing the core of Richmond County on the state level to being the top federal prosecutor for a district covering 43 counties, stretching from Thurmond Lake to the Florida border with offices in Augusta, Savannah, Statesboro, Brunswick, Dublin and Waycross.

The job pays about $150,000 a year, with oversight of 26 assistant U.S. attorneys -- 19 of them handling criminal cases and seven for civil matters.

But for a top prosecutor, Mr. Tarver would come into the job with little prosecution experience. According to his biographies on his law firm's and the Georgia Senate's Web sites, he's been a trial attorney since 1992 and primarily deals with civil cases, with an emphasis on employment discrimination and public finance law.

After graduating from Augusta State University in 1981, Mr. Tarver spent seven years as an Army field artillery officer. After earning his law degree from UGA in 1991, he clerked for Dudley Bowen Jr., a former chief judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. He now serves on the U.S. District Court's Attorney Advisory Committee.

Mr. Tarver has handled at least one high-profile criminal case: the defense of Augusta garbage contractor Kester Uzochukwu, who pleaded no contest to theft by dodging landfill tipping fees and was sentenced to eight years' probation in 2003.

Mr. Tarver was someone who I thought would be a fine candidate for Lt. Governor early in the year but I hope he does egt picked by Pres. Obama for the position.

Profile: State Senator Ed Tarver (D-Augusta) SD 22.. A potentital candidate for Lt. Governor in 2010?

State Senator Ed Tarver, a centrist democrat is a partner with the Augusta law firm of Hull, Towill, Norman, Barrett & Salley, P.C. He resides in Augusta with his wife Beverly (the former Beverly Myers). Sen. Tarver and his wife are the parents of two children – Edward Jr. (“Eddie”) and Beverly Elizabeth. He graduated from Glenn Hills High School in 1977, Augusta State University in 1981 and completed his law degree at the University of Georgia in 1991.

After graduating from Augusta State University, Sen. Tarver entered the United States Army and served for seven years as a Field Artillery officer before entering law school. After graduating from the University of Georgia in 1991, Sen. Tarver was a law clerk to the Honorable Dudley H. Bowen, Jr., former Chief Judge for the U.S. District Court for the southern district of Georgia. Sen. Tarver entered private practice in 1992, as an associate with Hull, Towill, Norman & Barrett (now Hull, Towill, Norman, Barrett & Salley). In 1999, he became a partner in his firm, practicing general civil litigation with an emphasis on employment discrimination and public finance law. Sen. Tarver currently serves on the Attorney Advisory Committee for the U.S. District Court for the southern district of Georgia, and is an active member of the State Bar of Georgia. He has presented instructional materials on professionalism to attorneys across the state at the State Bar-sponsored Continuing Legal Education seminars. Sen. Tarver is also an active member of the Augusta Bar Association, where he has served on the Executive Committee, the Law Day Committee and the Admissions Committee.

In years past, Sen. Tarver has served as Chairman of the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Leadership Georgia Foundation, Chairman of the Leadership Augusta Board, President of the Academy of Richmond County Boosters Club, Chairman of the St. John’s Towers Advisory Board, President of the Augusta Technical College Board of Directors, President of the East Georgia Easter Seals Society and a member of the Board of the Episcopal Day School in Augusta.

Currently, Sen. Tarver also serves as a Director on the Boards of the Georgia Bank & Trust Company, Georgia Lawyers Insurance Company, Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy and Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the Exchange Club of Augusta. Sen. Tarver was the 1995 Alvin W. Vogtle Volunteer of the Year and the recipient of the 2002 Leadership Augusta Community Service Award.

Sen. Tarver serves as the secretary of the Banking and Financial Institutions committee. He also sits on Appropriations, Economic Development, Special Judiciary and Government Oversight committees.

Ed Tarver, in my opinion is one of the best & brightest minds in the democratic party. Only 50 years old, he is one of my darkhorse candidates for Lt. Governor. He is well respected by both sides of the aisle.