Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, voted on Thursdsy to advance President Donald Trump’s federal district judge nominee for the Western District of Louisiana, former acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook, and Trump’s district judge nominee for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Will Crain, to a full U.S. Senate vote. Crain is a native of Washington Parish.
“Former acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook and Louisiana Supreme Court Justice William Crain are both intelligent and experienced lawyers, and I have every confidence that President Trump made the right choice in nominating them to be district judges in Louisiana. I was pleased to vote with my Senate Judiciary Committee colleagues to advance their nominations to a full Senate vote today, and I’m eager to see them confirmed soon,” said Kennedy.
The Senate Judiciary Committee supported Van Hook’s nomination in a 16-6 vote. The committee also backed Crain’s nomination in a 12-10 vote.
Prior to his nomination to be a district court judge, Van Hook served as acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana. Van Hook earned his Bachelor of Arts (BA) at the Centenary College of Louisiana and his Juris Doctor (JD) at Louisiana State University (LSU). His background includes vast experience prosecuting and litigating both criminal and civil cases.
Crain has served as an Associate Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court since 2019. He was previously a Judge on Louisiana’s 22nd Judicial District Court and later served as a Judge on the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal. Crain earned both his BA and JD at LSU.
Van Hook and Crain’s nominations will now move to a full U.S. Senate vote.
