Gonzales in Seattle

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was in Seattle today. Attorney general visits Seattle, meets with family of slain federal prosecutor Wales, Seattle Times (web), June 27, 2007

In the morning he spoke to an invitation-only gathering of technology executives, assuring them of the Justice Department's commitment to protecting intellectual property and fighting cybercrime. His prepared remarks are here.

Later he met with the family of Thomas Wales, an assistant U.S. attorney who was murdered in his home in 2001.

"Tom Wales is remembered as an outstanding prosecutor and a beloved member of the Seattle U.S. Attorney's Office and the Department of Justice," Gonzales said. "Bringing those involved in his killing to justice is of the utmost importance to the department."

Seattle Times.

The Wales case is currently before a federal grand jury. Wife of suspect in Wales case called to testify, Seattle Times, June 8, 2007.

Gonzales did not speak about the U.S. attorney firing controversy. But I note that one speculation was that the Administration was unhappy with John McKay because he was asking for more resources to prosecute the case. McKay made firing list in March '05; was Wales killing a factor?, Seattle Times, May 3, 2007. Last month Gonzales told the House Judiciary Committee

he didn't know if McKay might have been fired because he pushed for resources to investigate the October 2001 slaying of Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Wales.

Gonzales fends off hostile Democrats, Seattle Times, May 11, 2007.

For more about Wales, see this profile on the Thomas C. Wales Foundation website.

Photo of Gonzales from U.S. Dep't of Justice.