Are you a Department of Justice employee? If so, why are you at your desk? Shouldn’t you be at the festivities in honor of Alberto Gonzales’s last day?
DOJ employees are invited to attend the Farewell Ceremony for Alberto R. Gonzales, 80th Attorney General of the United States. The ceremony will be held at 3:00 p.m., on Friday, September 14, 2007, in the Great Hall. For those unable to attend, the ceremony will be aired on JusticeVision and Justice Television Network.
It won’t be as riveting as the Monica Goodling testimony. But then again, what is?
Update (5 PM): A tipster who was there writes: “Just came from the ‘Farewell Celabration.’ Condi, who led the standing ovations, and Chertoff were the only non-Justice ppl from the Administration. Neither spoke.”
In other DOJ departure news, Regina Schofield — the (non-attorney) Assistant Attorney General overseeing the Office of Justice Programs — recently announced her resignation, effective September 28.
More here from Wonkette, whose commenters described her as “kinda hot.” Our Justice Department sources concur, describing her as someone who “takes care of herself” and is always “perfectly coiffed.” She’s also reportedly on the quiet side, perhaps unusual for an AAG, which makes her seem “alternately shy or imperious.” (So she’s no Shanetta Cutlar, who’s 0 percent shy and 100 percent imperious.)
If you’re curious, Regina Schofield’s full resignation message appears after the jump.
Top DoJ Official Resigns V Quietly [Wonkette]
Today Is Gonzo’s Last Day At DOJ [WSJ Law Blog]
Gonzales Ready to Leave the Stage [Washington Post]
Assistant Attorney General Regina B. Schofield Announces Departure [U.S. Department of Justice]
Remarks of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales Announcing His Resignation [U.S. Department of Justice]
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REGINA B. SCHOFIELD RESIGNATION EMAIL
From: Regina Schofield
Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 9:24 AM
To: AllStaff
Subject: Changing Times
Good morning:
I wanted to send everyone a very quick note this morning to share some news that leaves me with mixed emotions. After more than two years as Assistant Attorney General, the time has come for me to move along to a new challenge and, ultimately, a new chapter in my career. Therefore, I have submitted my resignation to the Attorney General’s office, effective September 28, 2007. It has been the honor of my tenure in public service to lead the Office of Justice Programs. In this short message I cannot properly reflect upon the fine work of this agency and our constituents on the front lines. I can say that the experience has been a tremendous one, and that the issues we address are issues about which I will remain concerned for my entire lifetime.
During the remainder of my time here in OJP I will be actively looking for ways to reconnect with many you out of appreciation for your work. Generally speaking, we have been able to continue progress on many important fronts. I choose the term, “continue,” because I truly believe that the talented staff in OJP has created the momentum which I and our leadership team have attempted to help guide. You are the support network for our nation’s entire justice system, and the value of your contribution is felt across this country.
In my new role I will join the leadership team of a national foundation committed to reforming the nation’s foster care system (and ultimately eliminating the need for one). Casey Family Programs is, like OJP, a terrific organization and one that I am excited to become a part of.
Whether in Indian Country or in Detroit, I really feel proud of the contributions we have made over the last two years. We helped protect kids from online predators and released some exciting new statistics and research into the field. We helped advance the conversation on information sharing in law enforcement and linked together 50 state directories of sexual offenders. We helped crime victims through Katrina and watched new successes in Weed and Seed sites across the country. We accomplished some complex management reforms and find ourselves in good standing on audit issues for the first time in a long time. There is so much more to be excited about.
I appreciate everyone very much, and hope that this will be the beginning of a reflection that we can share together over the next two weeks. Also, more information will follow in the ensuing days about transition items so that things continue to run smoothly.
With appreciation and best wishes,
Regina