Raleigh, N.C. — U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan on Friday submitted three names to President Barack Obama for U.S. attorney in the federal court system's Eastern District of North Carolina.

But Hagan said she wanted U.S. Attorney George Holding to remain in office to handle political corruption investigations into former Gov. Mike Easley and former U.S. Sen. John Edwards.

"During my conversations with the Office of the White House Counsel, there was an interest expressed by the counsel’s office to potentially appoint a separate individual to begin handling other matters not related to these investigations," Hagan wrote in her letter to Obama.

She recommended Ben David, district attorney for New Hanover and Pender counties; Hampton Dellinger, Easley's former legal counsel, partner in the Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson law firm and former Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor; and Thomas Walker, a partner at the Alston and Bird law firm who concentrates on complex federal and state government investigations and white-collar defense.

Hagan also recommended Superior Court Judge Allen Cobb, Superior Court Judge Quentin Sumner and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer May-Parker for a federal judgeship in the Eastern District.

She recommended Anita Earls, executive director of Durham-based Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Superior Court Judge Catherine Eagles and Superior Court Judge Edwin Wilson for a judgeship in the federal court system's Middle District of North Carolina.

For the U.S. attorney in the Middle District, Hagan recommended Superior Court Judge Ripley Rand, son of Democratic Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand; Superior Court Judge Susan Taylor and attorney Lee Farmer, who has a background in civil litigation.