New U.S. attorney appointed

Reno passes over Griffin's choice

By STEVE BREWER Copyright 1997 Houston Chronicle

A career federal prosecutor from West Texas has been appointed interim U.S.
attorney in Houston, despite Gaynelle Griffin Jones' recommendation that
her first assistant get the job.

James H. DeAtley, 47, on Tuesday took over as U.S. attorney for the
Southern District of Texas. Attorney General Janet Reno appointed him on
Oct. 10.

Griffin Jones announced her resignation Sept. 28 and left office Friday,
ending her fouryear tenure as U.S. attorney.

Griffin Jones could not be reached for comment Tuesday. She had recommended
Bernie Hobson, a first assistant U.S. attorney, take her place until a
permanent successor is chosen.

Larry Finder, who was interim U.S. attorney in Houston between the tenures
of Ron Woods and Griffin Jones, said he was surprised by Reno's decision.

Finder, who was appointed on Woods' recommendation, said it is common for a
departing U.S. attorney to recommend a temporary successor, usually a first
assistant, and for that person to get the job.

"I think anybody would be surprised because it's such an unusual
occurrence," said Finder, now in private practice in Houston. "To me, it
shows there not only may be a lack of confidence in the management there,
but maybe there's a problem."

Woods agreed with Finder.

"(DeAtley's appointment) is certainly an indication that Washington has
some concerns with the management of this office," Woods said.

Asked if he was aware of any problems between Justice Department officials
and Griffin Jones that might have cost him the job, Hobson replied, "I sure
wouldn't have any comment on that, but I wouldn't think so."

DeAtley, who most recently served as senior litigation counsel for the
Western District of Texas, said he interviewed for the Houston job only
last Thursday in Washington.

"I don't know what the thought processes were behind this decision,"
DeAtley said. "This district's got one of the biggest case loads in the
nation and they've handled it pretty well. ... If you look at the level
here and the nationally significant cases prosecuted, the district should
feel pretty good about itself."

Gina Talamona, a Justice Department spokeswoman in Washington, said it's
not unusual for such jobs to go outside the district.

Talamona said in the past two years 11 U.S. attorneys have resigned and
five of their interim successors were not first assistants. The other six
appointments did go to first assistants or to highranking prosecutors from
the district.

DeAtley said he faces several complex issues as he assumes office in the
Southern District, which covers 43 South Texas counties: "Immigration, drug
trafficking and health care fraud are priorities."

DeAtley graduated from Baylor University School of Law and from 1975 to
1979 was on active duty in the U.S. Air Force, which he continues to serve
as a lieutenant colonel in the reserves.

He started work as a federal prosecutor in 1982 in the Eastern District of
Texas and was executive assistant to former U.S. Attorney Bob Wortham when
he left there in 1985. He was interim U.S. attorney in the Western District
of Texas from 1993 to 1996.

Wortham, now in private practice in Beaumont, served as a U.S. attorney
from 1981 to 1993. He, Finder and Woods said DeAtley was a good fit for the
job.

"I can honestly say I've never been involved in a situation in Texas where
they brought someone in from outside a district, but DeAtley will do great.
He's a brilliant choice and will organize that office and go a long way
toward eliminating paper wars and paper chases," Wortham said.

After leaving the Eastern District, DeAtley worked in the Western District
in Austin and in San Antonio before running the federal prosecutor training
program in 1989 and 1990. He returned to the Western District and served as
first assistant over the criminal division before getting the interim U.S.
attorney job there.

The interim appointment is for 120 days or until President Clinton names a
permanent replacement. If a nomination isn't made or confirmation isn't
complete after 120 days, a panel of federal judges can continue DeAtley's
interim status.