Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. announced at a press conference Thursday the nomination of Denise George-Counts to the position of attorney general. He also announced legislation that would set a term for the attorney general at six years in an effort to lend the position increased autonomy.
George-Counts, who has been at the Department of Justice for more than 18 years, served as director of the White Collar Crime and Public Corruption Division, where she instituted legal proceedings against public officials within local agencies such as the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Department of Human Resources. She also has experience prosecuting violent crimes.
At the press conference on St. Croix, Bryan gave accolades to George-Counts for her prior work, which he described as “consistent with the cornerstone of what the administration feels makes great leaders.” He added that her “high integrity and fearlessness in the face of political pressure” makes her a worthy candidate for the first attorney general with newly established autonomy, if new legislation passes.
If passed by the Legislature, the new law will require causation for a governor to remove an attorney general before the end of their full term, and allow for acting attorney generals to dispute their removal in court which, “would require an administration to be completely transparent in the cause for removal,” Bryan said.
Bryan said the law will provide assurance to Virgin Islanders that all attorney generals appointed “are free of retribution through misapplication of the justice system.”
“This autonomy would help restore the balance of power in the Executive Branch,” he said.
Bryan added, “We are establishing a significant marker of change in the Virgin Islands history books.”
Acting Attorney General Carol Thomas-Jacobs, who was appointed after the resignation of Claude Walker, will continue serving at the DOJ, and was thanked by Bryan for her “outstanding job in the absence of the (aforementioned) nominee.”
Bravo for Attorney George-Counts. She is an excellent attorney, a great litigator, and will be an outstanding Attorney General.