The new U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee told the Knoxville News Sentinel that he and his family have a history in Democratic politics. But he said there won’t be any “political considerations” during his tenure as the top federal prosecutor in Knoxville, the newspaper reported Sunday.

Bill Killian, who became U.S. Attorney last month, said he had an early interest in politics, having a father who served several terms as the clerk for Marion County, Tenn. He now has a brother serving as the mayor of South Pittsburg, Tenn., and a sister who is a Marion County commissioner.

“I can assure you, I am no political figurehead,” Killian told the newspaper. “I don’t think politics solely get you the job. It’s a very political process, but once you get confirmed by the Senate and sworn in, you check your politics at the door.

The U.S. Attorney said he plans to strengthen his office’s Civil Division and bolster efforts to combat financial fraud.

The Senate confirmed six U.S. Attorneys by voice vote late Wednesday night.

They are:

-- Joseph Hogsett (Southern District of Indiana): President Barack Obama nominated the partner at the law firm of Bingham McHale LLP in Indianapolis and former chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party on July 14 to succeed Susan W. Brooks, who stepped down as U.S. Attorney in 2007. Read more about him here.

– Michael J. Moore (Middle District of Georgia): Obama tapped the lawyer in Warner Robins, Ga., on Sept. 17, 2009, to succeed Frank Maxwell Wood, who resigned as U.S. Attorney in July 2009. Read more about him here and here.

– Robert E. O’Neill (Middle District of Florida): The Assistant U.S. Attorney in Middle District of Florida will replace A. Brian Albritton, who became U.S. Attorney in October 2008. Obama tapped him on June 9. Read more about O’Neill here.

– William C. Killian (Eastern District of Tennessee): The sole practitioner at William C. Killian, Attorney at Law PC will succeed James R. Dedrick, who stepped down as U.S. Attorney last summer. Obama nominated him on May 20. Read more about Killian here.

– Mark Green (Eastern District of Oklahoma): The sole practitioner and alternate city judge for Muskogee, Okla., will replace Sheldon J. Sperling, who has been U.S. Attorney since 2001. Obama nominated Green on July 14. Read more about him here.

– Michael C. Ormsby (Eastern District of Washington): The partner at the law firm of K&L Gates LLP in Spokane, Wash., will replace James A. McDevitt, who became U.S. Attorney in 2001. Obama nominated Ormsby on March 2. Read more about him here.

The Senate has now confirmed 72 U.S. Attorneys. There are five U.S. Attorney nominees, who are still waiting for consideration by the full Senate. Among those would-be U.S. Attorneys is William Conner Eldridge Jr., the Western District of Arkansas nominee, who was tapped Wednesday.

There are 93 U.S. Attorney posts located throughout the nation.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved two more U.S. Attorney nominees by voice vote at its meeting Thursday.

They are:

– William C. Killian (Eastern District of Tennessee): The sole practitioner at William C. Killian, Attorney at Law PC would succeed James R. Dedrick, who stepped down as U.S. Attorney in the summer. President Barack Obama nominated him on May 20. Read more about Killian here.

– Robert E. O’Neill (Middle District of Florida): The Assistant U.S. Attorney in Middle District of Florida would replace A. Brian Albritton, who became U.S. Attorney in October 2008. Obama tapped him on June 9. Read more about O’Neill here.

The committee has now approved 70 of Obama’s U.S. Attorney nominees, 66 of whom have won Senate confirmation. The panel has yet to schedule votes for another six would-be U.S. Attorneys. There are 93 U.S. Attorney posts.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider two more U.S. Attorney nominees at its meeting Thursday.

They are:

– William C. Killian (Eastern District of Tennessee): The sole practitioner at William C. Killian, Attorney at Law PC would succeed James R. Dedrick, who stepped down as U.S. Attorney in the summer. President Barack Obama nominated him on May 20. Read more about Killian here.

– Robert E. O’Neill (Middle District of Florida): The Assistant U.S. Attorney in Middle District of Florida would replace A. Brian Albritton, who became U.S. Attorney in October 2008. Obama tapped him on June 9. Read more about O’Neill here.

The panel has yet to schedule votes for another six would-be U.S. Attorneys.  The committee has approved 68 of Obama’s U.S. Attorney nominees, 66 of whom have won Senate confirmation. There are 93 U.S. Attorney posts.

Knoxville U.S. Attorney James R. Dedrick will step down this week after serving as the top federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of Tennessee since 2007, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported. Dedrick has been with the U.S. Attorney’s office for 38 years.

President Barack Obama on May 20 nominated Jasper, Tenn., lawyer Bill Killian to take replace Dedrick.

Since joining that U.S. Attorney’s office, Dedrick has served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney and interim and acting U.S. Attorney. He also served as interim U.S. Attorney in North Carolina.

Then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez also asked Dedrick to head the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, which Dedrick turned down.  Gonzalez “was a bit miffed,” according to Dedrick, but “we laughed about it later,” he said.

Dedrick plans to spend his retirement traveling with his wife and focusing on charity and community service work.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Sullivan will run the office until the Senate confirms a U.S. Attorney.

William C. Killian (University of Tennessee, University of Tennessee School of Law) is nominated to be U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee. He would replace Bush holdover James R. Dedrick who began serving as the district’s head prosecutor in 2001.

His vitals:

• Born in Jasper, Tenn., in 1949.
• Since 1996 has been a city attorney in Monteagle, Tenn. Also worked as a city attorney from 1981 to 1988.
• Has been a sole practitioner in private practice in Jasper, Tenn., since 1979.
• Was an adjunct professor in trial advocacy at the University of Tennessee School of Law in 2003.
• Worked part-time from 1988 to 1990 as an assistant district attorney  in Dayton, Tenn. Also worked in the position from 1976 to 1979.
• Was a part-time professor of civil and criminal justice at Edmondson Junior College in Chattanooga, Tenn., from 1979 to 1980.
• Worked as a part-time professor of civil and criminal justice at Northeast State Junior College in Rainsville, Ala., from 1979 to 1980.
• Served in the U. S. Army in the Tennessee National Guard from Dec. 21, 1970, to Jan. 9, 1973, and held the ranks of E-4 and Corporal.
• Has co-hosted a weekly show on a local-access cable television channel focused on local sports and charities for 18 years.
• Has tried approximately 360 cases, serving as sole counsel for 210 cases and associate counsel for 150 cases.

Click here for his full Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire.

UPDATE: On his Senate Judiciary financial disclosure Killian reported assets valued at $1.8 million, mostly from real estate, and $436,900 in liabilities, mostly from mortgages, for a net worth of $1.4 million.

On his Office of Government Ethics financial disclosure Killian reported earning $125,000 in distribution income and $30,000 in salary in 2009 and the first few months of 2010 from his law firm.

The White House announced two new U.S. Attorney nominations Thursday night.

They are:

– David J. Hickton (Western District of Pennsylvania): The founding member of Burns, White & Hickton, LLC would replace Mary Beth Buchanan. Buchanan resigned to run for the Republication nomination for the 4th congressional district in Pennsylvania, currently represented by Rep. Jason Altmire (D). She lost the primary race on Tuesday. The district’s current U.S. Attorney is Robert S. Cessar.

– William C. Killian (Eastern District of Tennessee): The sole practitioner at William C. Killian, Attorney at Law PC would replace Bush holdover James R. Dedrick, who has served as U.S. Attorney since 2001.

President Barack Obama has now made 70  U.S. Attorney nominations, 48 of whom have already won Senate confirmation.

A Jasper, Tenn., lawyer is poised to become President Barack Obama’s nominee to lead the Eastern District of Tennessee U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Chattanoogan reported Thursday.

Lawyer Bill Killian, a former state prosecutor, would succeed Bush holdover James R. Dedrick, who has led the Knoxville, Tenn.-based U.S. Attorney’s office since 2001. Lee Davis, a partner at Davis & Hoss PC in Chattanooga, is also vying for the job.

The headquarters of the U.S. Attorney’s office will likely move back to Chattanooga, where the office was based before 2001, according to the newspaper. The district is now headquartered in Knoxville.

A former U.S. Attorney currently serving as Blount County Mayor announced on Monday that he will seek re-election, a Tennessee newspaper reports. Jerry Cunningham served as the head prosecutor for the Eastern District of Tennessee under President George H.W. Bush from 1991 to 1993. The Daily Times of Maryville, Tenn., said Cunningham will run for another four-year term in 2010.

After leaving the U.S. Attorney’s office in 1993, Cunningham rejoined the private sector before retiring in 2006 after a 36-year career, The Daily Times reports. Cunningham is serving his first term as the county’s mayor.