13 January 2004

Bonner endorses Chertoff, won't leave DHS yet

The following article is excerpted from the 13 January 2005 edition of “The Journal of Commerce”. CSCB President Carol West is attending the Symposium.

Michael Chertoff is a "superb choice" to be the new Secretary of Homeland Security, according to Robert C. Bonner, commissioner of Customs and Border Protection.

While endorsing his new boss-designate, Bonner said that he intended to stay with the Department of Homeland Security "in some capacity."

Bonner, speaking at Customs' fifth trade symposium, said that the Bush administration's efforts in Iraq could defuse the "hatred and ignorance" that drive people in the Muslim world to support Islamic extremists. …

President Bush nominated Chertoff on Tuesday. Bonner said that he had worked with Chertoff in past years. Their careers have been similar. Both have been U.S. attorneys, managed major areas of the Justice Department, and had served as federal judges.

Bonner called global terrorism the biggest challenge the U.S. faced in the 21st Century, and expressed strong support for what he called the administration's three-prong strategy to meet the threat. That included a strong offense to attack terrorists abroad, and the Department of Homeland Security to provide a strong defense of the country. …

When later asked by a reporter if he intended to stay with the department, Bonner said, "I have no intention of leaving. I'm looking forward to working with Mike as he takes over the Department of Homeland Security.

"I'd like to say we've built the entire edifice for the security and facilitation of trade, but we still have work to be done," Bonner continued. "My present intent is to stick around for a while and hopefully have a chance to complete the key pieces of a security and facilitation strategy for the movement of goods. I expect to stay on in some capacity, and try to contribute as much as I can to some very important objectives of the Department of Homeland Security."

Bonner declined to comment when asked if Chertoff has accepted the security-trade facilitation strategy.