Fort Walton’s Lawrence Keefe Appointed U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida

A nomination that was thought to be dead by many, was resurrected and Lawrence Keefe was appointed as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Keefe, a lawyer from Fort Walton Beach, was approved by a voice vote in the US Senate during the waning hours of the 115th US Congress.

The position was previously held by Christopher Canova, who was appointed United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida on an interim basis in April 2016.

The on-again off-again nomination was the focus of a behind the scenes battle between power brokers with different interests.

In the end, it appears that US Representative Matt Gaetz and powerfull lobbyist Brian Ballard – who were backing Keefe – were able to convince Senator Marco Rubio to move forward with the nomination after Rubio’s office expressed concerns about Keefe.

In a previous report, TR documented donations made by Keefe to Democrat candidates which included Hillary Clinton, Bill Nelson, and Alex Sink.

Keefe, at the time of his nomination in August, 2018, was a partner in the law firm of Keefe, Anchors & Gordon.

Also, Keefe is a past gubernatorial appointee to the Judicial Nominating Commission for the First Judicial Circuit of Florida and he was elected to the Executive Council of the Trial Lawyers Section of the Florida Bar in 2017.

Keefe graduated for the University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law and was admitted to the Florida Bar in October, 1986.

After the Senate Vote, Congressman Gaetz, on his twitter account, said, “Congratulations to the moments-ago confirmed US Attorney for the Northern District of Florida – Larry Keefe! Larry will brilliantly serve our nation with honor. ”

  Lawrence Keefe