Trump taps Nassau County Judge Joseph Nocella Jr. to be US attorney for Eastern District of New York
President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Nassau County Judge Joseph Nocella Jr. to be the next US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
“Judge Nocella has a strong record of bringing Law and Order to the incredible people of New York, serving as a Nassau County District Court Judge, and Family Court Judge,” Trump said in a Monday night Truth Social post announcing the pick.
“A proud graduate of Columbia Law School, he has also spent over ten years in private practice,” Trump added.
Nocella also worked as an assistant US attorney in the same office from 1991 to 1995 and clerked for US District Judge for the Southern District of New York Lawrence McKenna, Trump noted.
Trump’s pick to lead the Brooklyn federal office comes nearly two months after the incoming commander in chief revealed former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton would serve as US attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Clayton stands to inherit the federal criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is facing several charges related to an alleged bribery scheme tied to the Turkish government and other foreign nationals.
Adams has denied all wrongdoing.
Nocella was appointed Nassau County District Court judge in 2022, according to a Newsday election profile from last year.
Before that, he was the Hempstead town attorney from 2021 to 2022 and the town supervisor’s chief of staff from 2020 to 2021.
Nocella also had stints in Oyster Bay municipal government and Nassau County government, according to the newspaper.
He was one of three candidates elected to serve as family court judges in November’s election, starting that role on New Year’s Day.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman praised Trump’s pick in a Monday night statement.
“Thank you President Trump for making this important appointment,” Blakeman said. “Joe Nocella is a seasoned prosecutor with great integrity and will be a valuable asset in fighting crime and protecting the homeland.”
Nocella will replace current US Attorney for the Eastern District, Breon Peace, who said he would resign from the office on Jan. 10 before Trump is sworn into office.
Carolyn Pokorny, Peace’s deputy, will be acting US attorney until Nocella is confirmed to the position.
Peace was appointed to the position by President Biden in 2021 after working as a partner at Big Apple law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton.
The Eastern District of New York covers all of Long Island, as well as Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.