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Wheeling Native Thomas Kleeh Confirmed as Federal Judge

Thomas S. Kleeh

WHEELING — The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed the nomination of Thomas S. Kleeh as district judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia.

Kleeh, a Wheeling native and attorney in Steptoe & Johnson’s Morgantown office, will preside over federal cases handled in Clarksburg. President Donald Trump nominated him for the position on the recommendation of Sen. Shelley Capito, R-W.Va.

The Senate vote on his nomination was 65-30, with Capito, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, voting to confirm. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, opposed the nomination.

Kleeh will take over for District Judge Irene Keeley who moved to a senior status position with the court last year.

“I recommended Tom to President Trump because of his exceptional qualifications and his outstanding reputation. As I’ve said since he was first nominated, I have no doubt that Tom will be a fair, diligent, and effective judge on the U.S. District Court and will make West Virginians proud as he continues working to uphold the rule of law,” Capito said. “I was proud to support his confirmation and look forward to working together as he assumes this important new role.”

Kleeh, 44, practiced as a litigator for the past 19 years in Steptoe’s labor and employment group, representing private- and public-sector clients. During that time, he litigated hundreds of employment law and general litigation matters before federal and state courts and administrative agencies.

Since 2015, Kleeh also served as staff counsel for the West Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee, where he presented legislation and advised the Senate on a wide range of issues.

He is a graduate of West Virginia University College of Law, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif and served as editor-in-chief of the West Virginia Law Review.

“I am honored and humbled that President Trump would consider me qualified to serve both our state and our country in this important role,” Kleeh said in February when he initially was nominated by President Trump.

Kleeh could not immediately be reached today for additional comment.

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