Formation May 24, 1950 Website www.justice.gov/dag | First holder A. Devitt Vanech | |
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Reports to United States Attorney General Appointer President of the United States
with advice and consent of the Senate Salary Executive Schedule, Level II | ||
The United States Deputy Attorney General is the second-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Justice. In the United States federal government, the Deputy Attorney General oversees the day-to-day operation of the Department of Justice, and may act as Attorney General during the absence of the Attorney General. The Deputy Attorney General is appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. The position was created in 1950. The position is presently being held by Dana Boente, following the firing of Sally Yates on January 30, 2017 during her tenure as Acting Attorney General. Effective February 9, 2017, Dana Boente became Acting Deputy Attorney General upon the confirmation and swearing in of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General and will serve in that position until DAG Nominee Rod Rosenstein is confirmed.
2007 Turnover
On May 14, 2007 Paul McNulty, then Deputy Attorney General, announced his resignation in a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. At the time, McNulty was considered "the highest-ranking Bush administration casualty in the furor over the firing of U.S. attorneys." Later, Gonzales himself would resign.
On July 18, 2007 President Bush announced his appointment of Craig S. Morford as acting Deputy Attorney General. Morford had been serving as the U.S. attorney in Nashville, Tennessee, and was known for his successful prosecution of former Ohio Representative James Traficant on bribery charges.