Deputy Attorney General James B. Comey Jr., 44, who has played a central role in the Bush administration’s prosecution of terrorism and corporate fraud cases, will quit this year for private law practice, reports the Washington Post. Comey, a former U.S. Attorney in Manhattan, largely stayed behind the scenes under Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and his predecessor, John Ashcroft.
Comey has said that the government’s prosecution of corporate scandals has helped deter crime, arguing that ” ‘fear’ is another way of saying ‘deterrence.’ ” One of Comey’s most significant legacies may be his role in pushing for aggressive prosecution of firearms violations in Richmond, Va.
Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6119-2005Apr20.html