Department of Justice Seal Department of Justice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2005
WWW.USDOJ.ORG
AG
(202) 514-2008
TDD (202) 514-1888

STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL ALBERTO R. GONZALES ON THE RESIGNATION OF ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL CHRISTOPHER A. WRAY


WASHINGTON, D.C. - Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales today issued the following statement on the resignation of Assistant Attorney General Christopher A. Wray of the Criminal Division:

“Chris Wray has done a superb job as head of the Criminal Division. He has been a steady leader of the Division in a time of challenge, and his hard work has helped produce great successes in the war on terror and in the fight against crime. I have enjoyed working with Chris, both while I was at the White House and here at the Department, and I will be sorry to see him leave. However, I understand and respect his interest in moving on to new challenges and opportunities - he has served the Nation, the President, and the Department of Justice well during four very demanding years.”

Wray submitted his letter of resignation to President George W. Bush last month. Wray said his resignation would be effective on a timetable to ensure as smooth a transition as practicable.

Wray was appointed Acting Assistant Attorney General in June 2003, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the 33rd head of the Criminal Division on Sept. 11, 2003. During his tenure, Wray directed the Criminal Division’s handling of several key issues, including counterterrorism, corporate fraud, gun violence reduction, drug enforcement, child pornography, obscenity, public corruption, human trafficking, intellectual property piracy, and more. Prior to his appointment as Assistant Attorney General, Wray served as the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General under then-Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson, and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Atlanta, Georgia.

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