President Trump on Tuesday announced plans to nominate the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia to serve as associate attorney general at the Justice Department.
If confirmed, Jessie Liu would be the No. 3 official at the Justice Department overseeing civil litigation attorneys.
Attorney General William P. Barr, who was confirmed last month, praised the selection in a statement.
“Jessie has distinguished herself as a first-class attorney in private practice, in the Treasury Department and in five different positions over her career at the Department of Justice,” he said. “With her record of public service, particularly in civil justice and federal law enforcement matters, it is clear that she will be an outstanding addition to our leadership team at the Department.”
The position has been vacant for more than a year. Rachel Brand, who previously held the post resigned in February 2018 to pursue a job in the private sector.
At the time of her departure, media reports said Ms. Brand, who ultimately landed a high-level executive position at Wal-Mart, was dissatisfied with vacancies at the Justice Department and feared she would assume control of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe.
Ms. Liu was confirmed in August 2017 as head of the largest U.S. Attorneys office in the country with more than 300 prosecutors.
During her time as U.S. Attorney, she implemented the Justice Department’s pilot initiative on sexual harassment in public housing. She also pushed to prosecute more individuals for gun and drug crimes in federal courts rather than file charges in local courts.
Last month, Mr. Trump said he will nominate Transportation Department Deputy Secretary Jeffrey Rosen to be deputy attorney general. That position is currently held by Rod Rosenstein, who is stepping down later this month.
Ms. Liu and Mr Rosen are part of the new faces who will lead the Justice Department along with Mr. Barr.
Ms. Liu has held several positions across government, including in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights and National Security Divisions and Deputy General Counsel for the Department of Treasury.
A Yale Law School graduate, Ms. Liu also served as partner at the law firm Morrison & Foerster and Jenner & Block
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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