Kees nominated for US attorney

U.S. Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton recently issued a joint news release applauding President Trump’s nomination of Duane “Dak” Kees for the position of U.S. attorney for the Western District of Arkansas.

Born in Little Rock, Kees is a graduate of the University of Arkansas and University of Arkansas School of Law. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2001 and rose to the rank of captain while earning numerous awards and decorations. During his military career, Kees served as a legal assistance attorney, trial counsel, brigade judge advocate and senior defense attorney. He was deployed to Afghanistan for a year and served a 15-month rotation in Iraq, the release said.

Kees is the director of global ethics and compliance at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in Bentonville. He was recommended to Trump for appointment by Boozman and Cotton.

“Dak’s strong investigative skills and extensive hands-on experience handling complex litigation in criminal courtrooms make him an excellent nominee for U.S. attorney for the Western District. His service as an Army JAG officer is a unique quality that strengthens his case by bringing additional skill sets to the office. Sen. Cotton and I will work with our colleagues to get Dak’s nomination, as well as Cody Hiland’s nomination for the Eastern District post, approved by the Senate as quickly as possible. We want to get them on the job quickly so they can begin working to make our communities safer,” Boozman said in the release.

“This is a strong choice. Dak Kees has a keen legal mind, a record of military service, and a deeply held commitment to our state. I’m confident he’ll serve the people of Arkansas well while also upholding the rule of law. I thank him and his family for accepting the call to serve,” Cotton said in the release.