The District Court of the Virgin Islands on St. Croix. Photo Credit: V.I. CONSORTIUM
The nomination of Delia Smith for U.S. Attorney for the Virgin Islands was confirmed Wednesday through a voice vote in the U.S. Senate, which officially ends the tenure of Gretchen Shappert and places a native Virgin Islander in the important seat of immense power.
Ms. Smith was nominated by President Joe Biden through advocacy from Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett, who expressed gratitude to the president while chiding Ms. Shappert for not resigning. "It is a shame that Gretchen Shappert was not more gracious and professional and simply resigned her political post when President Trump left office and President Biden nominated Ms. Smith," the Congresswoman said. "The actions of Shappert in the time that she has been there, particularly with regard to personnel, will take years to unwind and heal. I’m sure however that Delia Smith is up to the challenge, and I would like to congratulate Attorney Smith on her confirmation."
Ms. Plaskett described Ms. Smith as not only highly qualified for the position, but added that "her unparalleled commitment to service makes her an ideal choice to work on behalf of the Virgin Islands."
"I commend President Biden for accepting my recommendation and the White House’s commitment to nominees that represent America accurately," she said. The delegate to Congress said she had a chance to speak to the White House Wednesday to express her gratitude to Mr. Biden "for the work of his team and Senate Democrats to push this nomination (almost a dozen individuals, both US Attorneys and US Marshal nominations were confirmed yesterday) to confirmation."
“All U.S. Attorney’s serve at the pleasure of the President that nominates them. President Biden definitively signaled that Delia Smith was who he wanted in the position of US Attorney for the US Virgin Islands when he nominated her in 2021," she said. "I look forward to her continued and now elevated service to our territory as our U.S. Attorney.”
Ms. Shappert received an interim appointment from former Attorney General Jeff Session on January 4, 2018. On April 23rd, 2018, the Virgin Islands District Court appointed her as the U.S. Attorney for the Virgin Islands. Since then, she has overseen a flurry of cases in federal court: from drugs, to public corruption and gun violence.
“Gretchen Shappert has served this department well for more than 25 years,” said Mr. Sessions at the time of the appointment. “For five of those years, she led federal prosecutions in Western North Carolina as United States Attorney. I am confident that, with this extensive experience, she will be an excellent leader as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Virgin Islands.”
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