ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHCROFT NAMES MARY BETH BUCHANAN,
U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, DIRECTOR OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR U.S. ATTORNEYS

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Attorney General John Ashcroft today named Mary Beth Buchanan, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, as Director of the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) at the Department of Justice.

Buchanan was appointed to be U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania in September 2001. She will continue in that office while serving as the Director of EOUSA.

“For the past year, Mary Beth held the dual responsibilities of both a U.S. Attorney and Chair of the Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys,” said Attorney General Ashcroft. “Once again, she will be holding two positions of great responsibility, and I am confident she will continue to do an outstanding job with both. Mary Beth has served the Department with distinction for more than 15 years, and I thank her for her continued service.”

Buchanan chaired Attorney General Ashcroft’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys from April 2003 to May 2004 and served on an Advisory Committee to the U.S. Sentencing Commission from February 2002 until October 2003. Prior to her appointment as the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in that district. From 1992 to 2001, she was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division, supervising the Financial Crimes Task Force of Southwestern Pennsylvania and the Crimes Against Children Task Force of Western Pennsylvania. She also served as the District's Violence Against Women Coordinator. From 1988 to 1992, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Civil Division.

EOUSA provides administrative support to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices across the country. In addition, EOUSA also serves as a liaison between the U.S. Attorneys and other federal agencies and Department of Justice components.

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