News 12 at 11 o'clock, November 8, 2009

AUGUSTA,Ga---Ed Tarver will resign his seat as senator Monday to become U.S. Attorney. He granted his first sit down interview to News 12.

"It is an extremely big deal," said Senator Ed Tarver. "It is by far the largest thing that has ever happened to me in my life."

President Barack Obama appointed Augusta's own senator Ed Tarver to United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. He is the first African-American to hold that post.

"In my mind that is progress," said Tarver. "It shows how diverse we're becoming as a community."

High profile cases await Tarver including a new push by former state senator Charles Walker to combat a 10 year federal prison sentence.

"I can say that we will follow and honor the constitution of the United States," said Tarver. "As it pertains to anybody."

The southern district spans 43 counties. Tarver knows that means more traveling.

"I was on the floor of the senate," recalled Tarver. "My wife called me to tell that a squirrel had crawled down the chimney and into the house, and I wasn't there to help her respond. That sounds like a funny problem, but I had my wife and my 16 year old daughter trying to route a wild squirrel out of the house."

"We did just fine with the squirrel," laughed Tarver's wife Beverly.

Even with the department of justice calling, Beverly says one things is certain.

"Not packing up," said Beverly. "Not heading to Washington, contrary to popular belief, not going anywhere right now."

"As far as we are concerned there won't be that big of a change," said Tarver. "This is home."