THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES MARY LOU LEARY AS ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL IN

THE OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

The President today announced the nomination of Mary Lou Leary to be Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Justice Programs at the Department of Justice.

Ms. Mary Lou Leary, of Alexandria, Virginia, is currently the Acting Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Justice Programs at the Department of Justice. Previously, she served as Deputy Associate Attorney General, Chief of Staff to the Associate Attorney General, and Acting Director in the Community Oriented Policing Services at the Department of Justice. In addition, Ms. Leary was the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1997 to 1998. From 1995 to 1997, she was Chief of the Superior Court Division of the United States Attorney's Office in the District of Columbia. In addition, Ms. Leary served as Executive Assistant United States Attorney for Operations from 1992 to 1995.

Ms. Leary received a B.A. degree from Syracuse University, a M.A. degree from Ohio State University, and a J.D. degree from Northeastern University School of Law. She is a member of the Bar in the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The Office of Justice Programs has provided federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime since 1984. It serves to improve the criminal and juvenile justice systems, increase knowledge about crime and related issues, and assist crime victims. The Assistant Attorney General is responsible for overall management and oversight in the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). The Assistant Attorney General sets policy while ensuring that OJP policies and programs reflect the priorities of the President, the Attorney General, and Congress. The Assistant Attorney General promotes coordination among the bureaus and the offices of OJP.

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