Bush Selects Homeland Security Secretary Nominee

U.S. President George W. Bush has selected federal appeals court judge Michael Chertoff to replace Tom Ridge as homeland security secretary, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, Dec. 13, 2004).

Bush is expected to later formally announce the nomination, two U.S. officials said.

Chertoff led the U.S. Justice Department’s criminal division from 2001 to 2003 and has been credited with creating the U.S. legal response to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, AP reported (Associated Press/ABC News, Jan. 11).

Ridge said today that he has already spoken with his potential successor, and said Chertoff has “a great intellect, a great energy.”

“He comes well equipped by experience, temperament and background,” Ridge said (Joe Fiorill, Global Security Newswire, Jan. 11).

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