October 7, 2021

Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson (D-Las Vegas) is under consideration to become a U.S. District Attorney for Nevada, according to people familiar with the matter.

If appointed by President Joe Biden, Frierson will need to be confirmed by the US Senate. He would replace Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou, who was selected for the role after Nick Trutanich resigned in February.

Reached by phone Thursday, Frierson declined to comment.

“I focus on being a speaker,” he said. “I’m the leader of my caucus and that’s my goal.

Frierson was first elected to the Assembly in 2011, serving two terms before losing his candidacy for re-election in 2014. He joined the Legislative Assembly in 2016 and has been Speaker of the Assembly since then.

During the last legislative session, Frierson played a pivotal role in negotiating a far-reaching mining tax program that garnered support from a wide range of interest groups – including the mining industry, progressive groups, the Clark County Education Association, broader business interests and enough Republicans must pass the two-thirds constitutional hurdle required for another tax hike.

The mining tax package will allocate a combined $ 500 million for public education through new and expanded mining taxes and federal COVID relief dollars.

Earlier this year, Frierson revealed he received treatment for prostate cancer at UCLA and received a favorable prognosis.

Born in Los Angeles, he graduated from UNR and received his law degree from UNLV. Frierson is currently a Deputy Public Defender in the Clark County Public Defender’s Office.

Between 2017 and 2019, he served as the Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Clark County District Attorney’s Office in the Juvenile and Welfare Division.

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