Federal District Judge Maryellen Noreika is overseeing Hunter Biden's gun case in Delaware.
Noreika, appointed by Donald Trump, was confirmed by the United States Senate in August 2018 by voice vote. She had the support of both of Delaware's Democratic senators. According to Senate tradition, candidates for district court seats need the support of their home state senators to move forward.
Democratic Sen. Chris Coons praised Noreika in a statement after her nomination was announced. He described her and another appointee as “seasoned attorneys,” with “impressive prosecutorial skills, deep experience in federal practice, and deep respect for the law.”
Before becoming a federal judge, Noreika was a patent attorney in Wilmington, Delaware. She grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1993.
Noreika's political spending has gone to both parties. At the presidential level, federal records indicate she donated $1,000 to then-New York Sen. Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign for the Democratic nomination. She later donated $2,300 to the eventual 2008 Republican nominee, then-Arizona Senator John McCain. She also donated to the next Republican candidate, donating $2,500 to Mitt Romney's presidential campaign in 2012.
Noreika also financially supported Sen. Tom Cotton, a conservative Republican from Arkansas, during his Senate race in 2014. He also donated $1,000 in 2009 to the DSCC, the campaign arm of Senate Democrats.
CNN's Tierney Sneed, Marshall Cohen and Jack Forrest contributed to this report.
