BOSTON — Sen. Edward Kennedy has recommended that President Obama nominate Carmen Ortiz, an assistant U.S. attorney who investigates and prosecutes white-collar crime, as the next U.S. attorney for Boston.
The Puerto Rican-born Ortiz would be the state's first Hispanic and first female U.S. attorney. She has worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in Boston for more than a decade.
As the state's senior senator, Kennedy traditionally has been given preference to nominating the federal government's chief law enforcement office in the state. Kennedy made the announcement Tuesday in a joint statement with Sen. John Kerry.
The president's appointment still would need to be confirmed by the Senate.
Ortiz would replace Michael Sullivan, a Republican who was appointed by President Bush in 2001 and left the job earlier this year.
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