Hawkeye Reporter

David Waterman and Leif Olson have been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the U.S. Attorneys for Iowa’s Southern and Northern Districts, respectively. Their confirmations followed a process led by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who played a key role in moving the nominations through both the committee and the full Senate.

Waterman’s nomination was advanced by the Judiciary Committee with a 20-2 vote, while Olson’s was approved by a narrower 12-10 margin. Both nominees were included in a larger package of confirmations and were approved by the Senate with a 51-47 vote.

Senator Grassley commented on the confirmation process, stating, “After months of unprecedented Democrat obstruction, Republicans successfully confirmed Iowa’s highly qualified U.S. Attorney nominees. Mr. Waterman and Mr. Olson will help keep Iowans safe and faithfully serve our great state with honor and distinction. Iowa needed its top federal law enforcement officials in place, and Senate Republicans delivered.”

Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) also welcomed the confirmations, saying, “I am proud to see Iowans David Waterman and Leif Olson confirmed as the U.S. Attorney for Iowa’s Southern and Northern Districts. They have both served our state and nation selflessly, and I am thankful for Senator Grassley’s work to move these nominations forward, so they can continue to work diligently for Iowans.”

David Waterman is a fifth-generation attorney at Lane & Waterman LLP in Davenport and has previous experience as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Florida, as well as federal clerkships in Iowa and the Eighth Circuit. Leif Olson serves as Iowa’s Chief Deputy Attorney General and has held positions with the Texas Attorney General’s office and the U.S. Department of Labor.