Bush names procurement fraud fighter to second-ranking Justice slot

President Bush nominated Paul J. McNulty, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to be deputy attorney general at the Justice Department Friday.

McNulty is best known in federal contracting circles for his creation of the Procurement Fraud Working Group, which brings agencies together to fight misuse of the contracting system. His tactics and talk of placing investigators in procurement offices stirred up controversy among contractors and procurement officials earlier this year.

According to Frank Shults, a member of McNulty's staff, there will be no immediate changes to the working group, because McNulty will continue to serve as a U.S. attorney until the Senate votes on his confirmation for his new position. McNulty will also serve as acting deputy attorney general pending his confirmation.

McNulty, who has spent most of his career as a Republican staffer in Congress or political appointee at Justice, is viewed by people familiar with his work as a rising star within the GOP. When asked about his political ambitions in an interview with Government Executive in August, McNulty said he never enjoyed anything more than his current job.

Before becoming a U.S. attorney, McNulty led Justice's transition team after President Bush's 2000 campaign, during which he advised the incoming president on crime and law enforcement issues. Previously, McNulty had served as chief counsel on the House Judiciary Committee's crime subcommittee and as a staffer at Justice during George H.W. Bush's administration.

McNulty's four-year term as a U.S. attorney technically expired in September, but U.S. attorneys traditionally serve beyond their terms until they are replaced by a new president.