WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has approved Sean Costello to serve as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Alabama.
Costello has served as the acting U.S. attorney since 2021 after being appointed by the acting attorney general and he was subsequently appointed by the District Court to retain the role.
The committee advanced Costtello’s nomination by a vote of 17-5. The full Senate will now vote on his confirmation.
“Sean has devoted his entire career to public service and working on the behalf of the people of Alabama and the Southern District,” U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., a member of the Judiciary Committee, said.
At this morning’s Judiciary Committee executive business meeting, I was proud to vote to advance the nomination of Mobile native Sean Costello to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. He has devoted his entire career to public service, and I know he will… pic.twitter.com/NMDsqa87TO
— Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) June 18, 2026
Before serving as the U.S. attorney, Costello oversaw the court’s criminal division and previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Mobile. He has also worked at the Department of Justice and the U.S. Senate.
Costello has tried 28 cases to final verdict as a federal prosecutor, ranging from child exploitation cases to national security and corporate fraud, Britt said. U.S. Sens. Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt recommended him for the nomination.
The southern district contains 13 counties and includes the cities of Mobile and Selma.
Earlier this year, the Senate confirmed two other U.S. attorneys for Alabama. Thomas Govan Jr. for the Middle District and Phil Williams Jr. for the Northern District were sworn into office last month.