Maryland's next U.S. Attorney: Seems like Simms

The name Stuart Simms is being kicked around like a soccer ball lately.

Numerous observers say Simms would be a premier pick for the District of Maryland's next U.S. Attorney and that chatter about his prospects is getting louder.

It's not clear if Simms is interested the position, since he hasn't responded to multiple inquiries about the matter, but what is clear is that his hefty resume gives him an edge.

"If he wants the job, there's nobody with a better resume," Brian Frosh, a state Senator from Montgomery County, told PolitickerMD.com. Frosh, who is chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, was uncertain if Simms had any interest in the position, but said he was certainly qualified. "I would think he's in the running."

Simms received his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1975 and currently works at Brown, Goldstein & Levy LLP, a Baltimore-based law firm.

Among his many high-profile jobs, Simms was an assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland from 1978 to 1982. He would later serve as secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services from 1997 to 2003 and was Baltimore City's state's Attorney for two terms.

"It's hard to imagine what else the guy could have done to make himself more qualified," said Prince George's County state's Attorney Glenn Ivey in an interview with PolitickerMD.com.

Ivey is also seen as a possible contender, and while he doesn't seem to be actively pursuing the position, he has not ruled it out.

Along with Frosh, Ivey was unsure if Simms has any interest in the job, but both said they had been hearing his name mentioned a lot.

The other factor that remains uncertain is which political figures in the state will have the most clout in choosing Maryland's next U.S. Attorney. Many observers point to Maryland's senior U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Baltimore) as a possible decider along with U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Baltimore). Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler and U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings -- both of which co-chaired the Maryland for Obama campaign -- could have some influence as well.

ALSO on PolitickerMD.com:

• The shortlist for U.S. Attorney
• Ivey keeps name in game for U.S. Attorney