McCallum was born in Memphis, Tennessee, where his father, Robert D. McCallum, was a businessman.[2] He was educated at Presbyterian Day School in Memphis and then at The Choate School (now Choate Rosemary Hall) in Wallingford, Connecticut, where he was a star tennis player and captain of the basketball team. He then went to Yale University, where he graduated in 1968. At Yale his roommate and fellow member of Skull and Bones was George W. Bush.[3][4] In 1968, McCallum was named a Rhodes Scholar and attended Oxford University in England. While at Oxford, McCallum was a member of the Oxford University men's basketball team that reached the final of the Amateur Basketball Association (A.B.B.A) National Championship. In 1969, he married Mary Rankin Weems ("Mimi") of Memphis. They have two adult sons, one of whom was also a Rhodes Scholar. McCallum graduated from Yale Law School in 1973.
Professional life
After completing his Juris Doctor at Yale in 1973, McCallum joined the Atlanta law firm of Alston & Bird. Philip Alston, one of the principals of this firm, was U.S. Ambassador to Australia under President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981. McCallum remained with the firm for 28 years, before joining the U.S. Department of Justice in 2001 as Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division. In this position, he oversaw litigation involving the defense of challenges to Presidential actions and acts of Congress; national security issues; immigration; benefit programs; commercial issues including health care fraud, banking, insurance, patents, debt collection; and the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act.
In July 2003 McCallum was appointed Associate Attorney General. He served as Acting Deputy Attorney General from September to December 2004 and from August 2005 until he resigned on being nominated as Ambassador to Australia.
In 2005 McCallum was accused of interfering with the government's prosecution of the tobacco industry by requiring Justice Department lawyers to cut their demand for an industry-sponsored smoking cessation program from $130 billion to $10 billion. During his ambassadorial confirmation hearings before the United States Senate, Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois raised this issue and demanded an investigation of McCallum's role. The Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility found no wrongdoing on McCallum's part. In her 2006 decision in the case, Judge Gladys Kessler placed limits on tobacco companies' abilities to market cigarettes, but found that a previous appeals court ruling prevented her (in the judicial branch) from requiring the industry to pay for a smoking cessation program.
Australia
McCallum had never been to Australia prior to his appointment and had had no previous involvement with the country, or indeed with foreign policy at all. The position of U.S. Ambassador to Australia is traditionally held by friends or political associates of the President, rather than by career diplomats, since Australia is a close ally of the U.S. and the post is considered a highly desirable one. The previous Ambassador, Tom Schieffer, was a business associate of President Bush.
In an interview with The Australian, a national daily newspaper, McCallum said that he had been attending seminars on Australian affairs since his appointment. "I feel that [from the seminars] I have got a good grounding in the fundamentals of what is going on in a very, very important relationship to the U.S. with Australia, and I'm eager to learn and experience that firsthand", he said. He said that he would seek to meet and establish close relations with Australian politicians of all parties, including those critical of U.S. policies.[5]
McCallum's arrival in Australia ended an 18-month period in which there was no U.S. Ambassador in Canberra. Following Schieffer's departure to take up the position of Ambassador to Japan in January 2005, the U.S. was represented by a Chargé d'Affaires, Bill Stanton, who also departed Australia before McCallum's appointment. The long delay was caused by the Bush Administration's apparent inability to find a candidate who was suitably close to the President but willing to undergo the scrutiny which accompanies the Senate confirmation process.
McCallum announced that he would resign his position following the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009, to make way for the next U.S ambassador to Australia and---as he was not close with Senators McCain or Obama---iterated his view that it is important for a US-Australia ambassador have a close relationship with the President.[6] He resigned from the position and left Australia on 20 January 2009.
^Confirmation hearing on nominations of Robert D. McCallum, Jr. to be Associate Attorney General and Peter D. Keisler to be Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division (May 8, 2003), page 7
Remarks to the American Health Lawyers Association Meeting, September 30, 2002.[1]
United States Department of Justice recovers record $1.6 billion in fraud payments.[2]
Statement of Assistant Attorney General Robert McCallum Jr. about the Third Circuit Decision issued in North Jersey Media Group v. Ashcroft, October 8, 2002.[3]
Statement of Assistant Attorney General Robert McCallum Jr. following daily arguments in 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Case, April 14, 2003.[4]
^"Justice Recovers Record $1.6 Billion in Fraud Payments; Highest Ever For One Year Period"
^"Statement of Assistant Attorney General Robert McCallum on the Third Circuit Decision Issued in North Jersey Media Group v. Ashcroft:"
^"Statement of Assistant Attorney General Robert McCallum Jr. following today's arguments in 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Case"
December 26, 2022
robert, mccallum, other, people, named, robert, mccallum, robert, mccallum, disambiguation, robert, davis, mccallum, born, january, 1946, american, lawyer, diplomat, served, bush, administration, associate, attorney, general, united, states, from, 2003, 2006, . For other people named Robert McCallum see Robert McCallum disambiguation Robert Davis McCallum Jr born January 30 1946 is an American lawyer and diplomat who served in the Bush administration He was the Associate Attorney General of the United States from 2003 to 2006 also acting as the Deputy Attorney General from 2005 to 2006 He was appointed as the United States Ambassador to Australia in 2006 a capacity in which he served until the end of Bush s term in 2009 Robert McCallum Jr 23rd United States Ambassador to AustraliaIn office August 24 2006 January 20 2009PresidentGeorge W BushPreceded byThomas SchiefferSucceeded byJeff BleichUnited States Deputy Attorney GeneralActingIn office August 15 2005 March 17 2006PresidentGeorge W BushPreceded byJames ComeySucceeded byPaul McNulty14th United States Associate Attorney GeneralIn office June 27 2003 March 17 2006PresidentGeorge W BushAttorney GeneralJohn AshcroftAlberto GonzalesPreceded byJay B StephensSucceeded byKevin J O ConnorUnited States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil DivisionIn office September 17 2001 2003PresidentGeorge W BushAttorney GeneralJohn AshcroftPreceded byDavid W OgdenSucceeded byPeter KeislerPersonal detailsBornRobert Davis McCallum Jr 1946 01 30 January 30 1946 age 76 1 Memphis TennesseePolitical partyRepublicanSpouseMary Rankin WeemsEducationYale University BA JD Oxford University BA Contents 1 Early life 2 Professional life 3 Australia 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksEarly life EditMcCallum was born in Memphis Tennessee where his father Robert D McCallum was a businessman 2 He was educated at Presbyterian Day School in Memphis and then at The Choate School now Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford Connecticut where he was a star tennis player and captain of the basketball team He then went to Yale University where he graduated in 1968 At Yale his roommate and fellow member of Skull and Bones was George W Bush 3 4 In 1968 McCallum was named a Rhodes Scholar and attended Oxford University in England While at Oxford McCallum was a member of the Oxford University men s basketball team that reached the final of the Amateur Basketball Association A B B A National Championship In 1969 he married Mary Rankin Weems Mimi of Memphis They have two adult sons one of whom was also a Rhodes Scholar McCallum graduated from Yale Law School in 1973 Professional life EditAfter completing his Juris Doctor at Yale in 1973 McCallum joined the Atlanta law firm of Alston amp Bird Philip Alston one of the principals of this firm was U S Ambassador to Australia under President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981 McCallum remained with the firm for 28 years before joining the U S Department of Justice in 2001 as Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division In this position he oversaw litigation involving the defense of challenges to Presidential actions and acts of Congress national security issues immigration benefit programs commercial issues including health care fraud banking insurance patents debt collection and the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act In July 2003 McCallum was appointed Associate Attorney General He served as Acting Deputy Attorney General from September to December 2004 and from August 2005 until he resigned on being nominated as Ambassador to Australia In 2005 McCallum was accused of interfering with the government s prosecution of the tobacco industry by requiring Justice Department lawyers to cut their demand for an industry sponsored smoking cessation program from 130 billion to 10 billion During his ambassadorial confirmation hearings before the United States Senate Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois raised this issue and demanded an investigation of McCallum s role The Justice Department s Office of Professional Responsibility found no wrongdoing on McCallum s part In her 2006 decision in the case Judge Gladys Kessler placed limits on tobacco companies abilities to market cigarettes but found that a previous appeals court ruling prevented her in the judicial branch from requiring the industry to pay for a smoking cessation program Australia EditMcCallum had never been to Australia prior to his appointment and had had no previous involvement with the country or indeed with foreign policy at all The position of U S Ambassador to Australia is traditionally held by friends or political associates of the President rather than by career diplomats since Australia is a close ally of the U S and the post is considered a highly desirable one The previous Ambassador Tom Schieffer was a business associate of President Bush In an interview with The Australian a national daily newspaper McCallum said that he had been attending seminars on Australian affairs since his appointment I feel that from the seminars I have got a good grounding in the fundamentals of what is going on in a very very important relationship to the U S with Australia and I m eager to learn and experience that firsthand he said He said that he would seek to meet and establish close relations with Australian politicians of all parties including those critical of U S policies 5 McCallum s arrival in Australia ended an 18 month period in which there was no U S Ambassador in Canberra Following Schieffer s departure to take up the position of Ambassador to Japan in January 2005 the U S was represented by a Charge d Affaires Bill Stanton who also departed Australia before McCallum s appointment The long delay was caused by the Bush Administration s apparent inability to find a candidate who was suitably close to the President but willing to undergo the scrutiny which accompanies the Senate confirmation process McCallum announced that he would resign his position following the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009 to make way for the next U S ambassador to Australia and as he was not close with Senators McCain or Obama iterated his view that it is important for a US Australia ambassador have a close relationship with the President 6 He resigned from the position and left Australia on 20 January 2009 See also EditList of United States ambassadors to AustraliaReferences Edit Confirmation hearing on nominations of Robert D McCallum Jr to be Associate Attorney General and Peter D Keisler to be Assistant Attorney General Civil Division May 8 2003 page 7 http www rhodes edu NewsCenter RhodesMagazine Summer2005 CampusNews Remembering Trustee Robert McCallum cfm dead link Leak Investigation An Oversight Issue Newsweek August 15 2005 Alexandra Robbins Secrets of the Tomb Skull and Bones the Ivy League and the Hidden Paths of Power Little Brown and Company 2002 page 177 181 http www theaustralian news com au story 0 20867 19941242 28737 00 html dead link American ambassador takes his leave of Australia 6 November 2008 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert D McCallum Jr Appearances on C SPAN Remarks to the American Health Lawyers Association Meeting September 30 2002 1 United States Department of Justice recovers record 1 6 billion in fraud payments 2 Statement of Assistant Attorney General Robert McCallum Jr about the Third Circuit Decision issued in North Jersey Media Group v Ashcroft October 8 2002 3 Statement of Assistant Attorney General Robert McCallum Jr following daily arguments in 9 11 Victim Compensation Fund Case April 14 2003 4 New envoy a smart lawyer and friend of Bush Presidential Nomination Robert Davis McCallumLegal officesPreceded byDavid W Ogden United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division2001 2003 Succeeded byPeter D KeislerPreceded byPeter D KeislerActing United States Associate Attorney General2003 2006 Succeeded byWilliam W MercerActingPreceded byJames Comey United States Deputy Attorney GeneralActingAugust 15 2005 March 17 2006 Succeeded byPaul McNultyDiplomatic postsPreceded byTom Schieffer United States Ambassador to Australia2006 2009 Succeeded byJeffrey L Bleich Transcript Justice Recovers Record 1 6 Billion in Fraud Payments Highest Ever For One Year Period Statement of Assistant Attorney General Robert McCallum on the Third Circuit Decision Issued in North Jersey Media Group v Ashcroft Statement of Assistant Attorney General Robert McCallum Jr following today s arguments in 9 11 Victim Compensation Fund Case Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert McCallum Jr amp oldid 1079738729, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
