NEWS RELEASEWood replaces interim Bradley J. Schlozman whose job experience included a stint as a deputy in Justice's civil rights division where, among other things, he helped overrule career government lawyers by approving a Texas redistricting plan pushed by Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), then House majority leader.
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
APRIL 11, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JOHN F. WOOD SWORN IN AS U.S. ATTORNEY
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – John F. Wood was sworn in as United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri this morning, following unanimous confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Wood oversees a staff of 119, including 59 attorneys and 60 non-attorney support personnel. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, firearms, narcotics, child exploitation, and public corruption. The office also handles the defense of civil cases brought against the United States and the collection of debts owed to the United States.
Mr. Wood, 37, is a native Missourian. After graduating with Honors from the University of Virginia, he served on the staff of U.S. Sen. John C. Danforth of Missouri. Following his service for Sen. Danforth, Mr. Wood attended Harvard Law School, where he graduated magna cum laude and served as Articles Chair of the Harvard Law Review.
Following law school, he served as a law clerk for Judge J. Michael Luttig on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and for Justice Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court of the United States. He then practiced law at a leading national law firm.
Mr. Wood joined the Bush Administration in 2001 and held several prominent positions prior to becoming U.S. Attorney. He has previously served at the Department of Justice as a Deputy Associate Attorney General and as a Counselor to Attorney General John D. Ashcroft. He has also worked at the White House as Deputy General Counsel for the Office of Management and Budget. His last job prior to being nominated by the President to serve as U.S. Attorney was as Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which is the third largest department of the federal government with approximately 180,000 employees and an annual budget of over $40 billion.
Mr. Wood’s wife, Julie, is Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She is a native of the Kansas City area. They have one son.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at
www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html
Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106
www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html
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The Washington Post reports that like Schlozman, Wood has never prosecuted a case. The Post disagrees with Wood's official press release. It says that immediately prior to taking up his job in Kansas City Wood was counselor to Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty. Of course given McNulty's present notoriety that job might be something Wood doesn't want to talk about.
Back from the Beltway Wood, a cousin of Kit Bond, has spent little time in Missouri for at least a decade. Wood looks like a guy who is trying to find a job on the Federal Bench or maybe take his cousin's place in the Senate. He is blessed with a golden resume and lots of ambition. Bond should probably buy him a Garmin GPS to find his way from downtown to the Plaza. For those who don't live in KC, Garmin International, Inc. is headquartered at N 38 deg 51.333 min, W 094 deg 47.941 min.
Garmin World Headquarters
