Sullivan named ATF director
Senate must confirm choice
US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan was nominated yesterday by President Bush to be director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
"I'm certainly honored, and I recognize this is a tremendous challenge to be director of ATF ," said Sullivan, 52, of Abington, during a telephone interview yesterday.
After serving as acting director of the federal agency for nearly seven months, Sullivan said he was honored to be Bush's permanent choice but also respects and understands that it's now up to the US Senate to assess his qualifications during the confirmation process.
Sullivan declined to comment on whether he had any concerns about his confirmation, which comes as Congress is investigating allegations that the Bush administration's firing of eight US attorneys was politically motivated. Sullivan's nomination marks the first time the post of ATF director has required Senate confirmation.
Sullivan was named US attorney by Bush a week after the Sept. 11, 2001 , terrorist attacks. As the state's top federal prosecutor, he oversaw about 225 employees in Boston, Springfield, and Worcester. Before that he served as Plymouth County district attorney for 6 1/2 years and as a three-term state representative.
Since September, he's been commuting between Washington and Boston, while serving as US attorney of Massachusetts and acting director of the ATF, which has more than 5,000 employees. He said he expects to continue to serve as the state's top prosecutor pending his confirmation.
Sullivan said that as a state and federal prosecutor, he worked with ATF agents on firearms and gang investigations, but since taking over as acting director , he has developed a greater appreciation for all the agency does.
Most recently, according to Sullivan, ATF signed an agreement with the Department of Defense to train military personnel going to Iraq and Afghanistan on how to deal with evidence collection and analysis of explosive devices that go off in hostile settings.
"It's a great opportunity," said Sullivan, adding that if he is confirmed to the ATF post, he will keep an apartment in Washington, while his wife and four children remain back home.
"My roots are in Massachusetts; it's been my home my whole life."
Names of possible replacements for the US attorney's job include: Mark D. Nielsen, who served as chief of staff and chief legal counsel to former Governor Mitt Romney; Michael K. Loucks, a career federal prosecutor who has been serving as acting US attorney while Sullivan is in Washington; and Assistant US Attorney Brian T. Kelly. 