Description
Scarce presidential appointment from George W. Bush and Attorney General John Ashcroft, appointing John W. Gillis of California as the Director of the Office for Victims of Crime.
The appointment is dated September 17th, 2001. Gold leaf emblem of the Department of Justice is affixed to lower left corner. Framed in dark cherry with gilt band, museum glass over document. Signed by President George W. Bush in felt pen and Attorney General John Ashcroft.
Full proclamation reads: “George W. Bush / President of the United States of America / To all who shall see these Presents Greeting: Know Ye; That reposing special trust and confidence in the Wisdom, Uprightness and Learning of John W. Gillis of California, I have nominated, and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint him Director of the Office for Victims of Crime and do authorize and empower him to execute and fulfill the duties of that Office according to the Constitution and Laws of said United States, and to Have and to Hold the said Office, with all the powers, privileges and emoluments to the same of right appertaining, unto Him, the said John W. Gillis during the pleasure of the President.”
An exceptionally scarce document from the Bush administration, with no record of other such documents entering the public marketplace.
Comments: President George W. Bush announced the nomination of John W. Gillis to fill the position of Director of the Office for Victims of Crime in May of 2001, but the appointment did not go into effect until September 17th, in a world changed by the recent events of September 11th. In his capacity as the National Director of the Office of Victims of Crime, John W. Gillis had oversight for initiatives relating to counter terrorism, human trafficking and the Crime Victims Fund. Following the murder of his daughter in 1979, Mr. Gillis founded the Justice for Homicide Victims (JHV) in Los Angeles and the Coalition of Victims Equal Rights (COVER). He was recognized for his work in 1991 by President George H.W. Bush, who awarded him the National Crime Victim Service Award. Mr. Gills is a veteran of the U.S. Army and holds a degree in Political Science from California State University and a Master of Science in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.
