Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Ed Tarver yesterday announced two promotions in his office, according to the Savannah Morning News.

Ed Tarver (DOJ)

He named Assistant U.S. Attorney James Durham to be first Assistant U.S. Attorney. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Rafferty will take Durham’s old post as the office’s criminal division chief. Durham told Main Justice that he is replacing Joseph Newman, who stepped down as the first Assistant U.S. Attorney to become a senior litigation counsel in the office.

Durham said he joined the U.S. Attorney’s office in 2002. Rafferty has been with the office since 2008, Durham said.

“Mr. Durham and Mr. Rafferty have handled many significant, complex fraud and other cases in the district, and the district’s judicial officers, defense bar, and staff have recognized their exemplary talents both within and outside of the courtroom,” Tarver said in a statement. “I am excited about the leadership these individuals have provided and will provide as we continue our pursuit of the mission of the United States Attorney’s Office.”

Tarver has led the office Savannah, Ga.,-based U.S. Attorney’s office since November 2009. He succeeded Edmund A. Booth Jr., who stepped down as U.S. Attorney last September.

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia got a little choked up during his ceremonial swearing-in before almost 200 well-wishers at a federal courthouse today, The Augusta Chronicle reported.

Ed Tarver (gov)

Ed Tarver blinked back tears when he spoke about his former job at the Hull, Towill, Norman, Barrett & Salley law firm in Augusta, Ga., according to the newspaper. He worked there for almost 20 years.

“They have been more than my law partners, they are my family and have helped us a great deal,” Tarver, the first African-American to serve as U.S. Attorney in Georgia’s southern district, said at the ceremony, according to the Chronicle.

Augusta businessman James L. Kendrick said in his remarks at the ceremony that Tarver can be proud of his past work at the Augusta law firm and his U.S. Attorney appointment.

“Ed Tarver, you have earned the right to feel proud, honored, blessed and maybe a little loved,” Kendrick said, according to the newspaper.

Tarver was officially sworn in last month, shortly after his Senate confirmation. He succeeded former U.S. Attorney Edmund A. Booth Jr., who resigned in September.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is slated to consider two U.S. Attorney nominees next Thursday, the panel announced today.

They are:

Carmen Ortiz (Adelphi Univ.)

-Carmen M. Ortiz (Massachusetts): The Massachusetts Assistant U.S. Attorney would replace Michael J. Sullivan, who stepped down in April to join a law firm headed by former Attorney General John Ashcroft. Read more about the nominee here.

Ed Tarver (Tarverforgeorgiasenate.com)

-Ed Tarver (Southern District of Georgia): The Georgia state senator and partner at Augusta, Ga. law firm Hull, Towill, Norman, Barrett & Salley would succeed Edmund A. Booth Jr., who resigned earlier this month. Read more about Tarver here.

Another nine U.S. Attorney candidates have been nominated so far, but they haven’t come before the committee yet.

Ed Tarver (gov)

The Senate Judiciary Committee today released a questionnaire from Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney nominee Ed Tarver (Augusta College, University of Georgia School of Law). If confirmed, Tarver would replace Edmund A. Booth, who resigned Sept. 3.

His vitals:

• Born in  Killeen, Texas, in 1959.
• Has been a Georgia state senator since 2005.
• Has been a partner at Hull, Towill, Norman, Barrett & Salley since 1998. Started working at the firm as an associate in 1992. Was a summer associate there  in 1990.
• Clerked for Judge Dudley H. Bowen, Jr., in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia from 1991 to 1992.
• Was a summer law clerk in 1990 for the Office of the United States Trustee in Tallahassee, Fla., an arm of the Justice Department that oversees bankruptcy cases.
• Has tried 14 cases to verdict — seven as sole counsel, four as chief counsel and three as associate counsel. Seventy percent of the trials were jury trials, 30 percent were non-jury trials.
• Was a field artillery officer in the Army from 1982 to 1989. Had the rank of captain when he was honorably discharged.
• Was delegate for the Democratic Party of Georgia last year.
• The National Association of University Women’s Augusta chapter named him the Citizen of the Year in 2008.

Click here for his full questionnaire.

UPDATE: According to his Office of Government Ethics disclosure, Tarver’s salary from Hull, Towill, Norman, Barrett & Salley is $243,065. In addition, he earns $27,271.75 as a state senator. He also generates $8,250 from director’s fees and income from two insurance companies and a bank. He owns a condo in Atlana valued at between $10,001 and $250,000. Tarver has debt of between $60,004 and $450,000. His debt consists of a loan acquired to purchase stock, credit cards, a mortgage and a line of credit.

On his Senate Judiciary Committee financial disclosure, Tarver reports assets valued at $1,058,400 and liabilities of $681,100, resulting in a net worth of $377,300. He has two properties worth a combined $650,000, which he owes $568,000 on.

Ed Tarver (Tarverforgeorgiasenate.com)

It will be “nearly impossible” for Georgia taxpayers to avoid picking up the bill for a special election if state Sen. Ed Tarver (D) becomes the Southern District’s U.S. Attorney, Richmond County Board of Elections Executive Director Lynn Bailey told The Augusta Chronicle.  Edmund A. Booth Jr., a Bush holdover, is currently the U.S. Attorney for the district.

The reason? Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) can’t declare Tarver’s state senate seat empty and issue a write of election until Tarver has resigned. The governor also needs time to let a 30-day “candidate qualifying period” lapse before the scheduled Nov. 3 ballot.

If a candidate to replace Tarver does not appear on the ballotU., Purdue will be forced to schedule a special election sometime in 2010, Bailey told the Chronicle. Although it is unclear how much the additional election would cost, a single-issue sales tax referendum voters considered in June cost the city $83,290.

In addition, the Tarver vacancy likely would open up other seats, meaning other special elections for whomever fills Tarver’s seat. Among the politicians looking to replace Tarver are state Rep. Hardie Davis (D), Richmond County State Court Solicitor Harold Jones (D) and Mayor Pro Tem Alvin Mason. Althought Tarver is rumored to be the frontrunner for the job, the White House has made no annoucement on a nominee.

Edmund Booth Jr. (USDOJ)

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, Edmund A. Booth Jr., said today he is resigning, effective Sept. 3.

From The Augusta Chronicle:

Mr Booth, who spent 38 years with the government, said he intends to explore opportunities in the private sector. He was appointed to his current position by President Bush in 2007.

Click here for Booth’s official bio.

Ed Tarver (Tarverforgeorgiasenate.com)

The move could mean the White House is close to nominating his successor. As we reported here, via NBC Augusta 26 News, the Justice Department is vetting Georgia state Sen. Ed Tarver for the job. Tarver, a Democrat, has served in the Georgia senate since 2005.

He is also a partner at Augusta law firm Hull, Towill, Norman, Barrett & Salley, where he focuses on employment discrimination and public finance law. Read his full bio here.

The Justice Department is vetting Georgia state Sen. Ed Tarver to be the next Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney, NBC Augusta 26 News reported last night.

Ed Tarver (Tarverforgeorgiasenate.com)

Tarver, a Democrat, has served in the Georgia senate since 2005. He is also a partner at Augusta law firm Hull, Towill, Norman, Barrett & Salley, where he focuses on employment discrimination and public finance law. Read his full bio here.

The lawmaker would replace Bush-appointee Edmund A. Booth Jr., who was confirmed by the Senate as U.S. Attorney in 2007 after leading the office as an interim and acting U.S. Attorney since 2001.