Government

Attorney General Abbott takes oath of office and commences second term

From the Office of Greg Abbott, Attorney General of Texas

January 19, 2007

AUSTIN - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today formally began his second term as the state’s chief law enforcement official when Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson administered the oath of office at a ceremony performed at the Office of the Attorney General in the presence of agency employees. After swearing to defend the laws and constitution of the State of Texas, Attorney General Abbott renewed his commitment to tough law enforcement and thanked agency employees for their service to Texas citizens.

“Texans are blessed to have hard-working men and women who have committed their lives to serving the Office of the Attorney General and the State of Texas,” said Attorney General Abbott. “Whether arresting child sex predators, collecting child support, cracking down on senior abuse, or preserving taxpayer dollars, our dedicated employees make a difference in the lives of their fellow Texans in countless ways. It is truly an honor to work side-by-side with these public servants as we strive toward a safer, more just Texas.”

Accomplishments during Abbott’s first term as Attorney General include:

• $7 billion collected in child support
• $300 million awarded to or on behalf of crime victims
• $175 million recovered in Medicaid fraud, waste, and abuse
• 500 child predators arrested

Attorney General Abbott added: “The entire agency can be proud of our accomplishments, but our successes are not measured by numbers, arrests or money recovered. Rather, the greatest measure of our success is the Texans whose lives are improved by our service to the state.”

Prior to his election as Texas’ 50th Attorney General on November 5, 2002, Greg Abbott served as a Justice on the Texas Supreme Court and as a State District Judge in Harris County. A native Texan, Attorney General Abbott was born in Wichita Falls and raised in Duncanville. After graduating from the University of Texas with a B.B.A. in Finance, he received his law degree from Vanderbilt University. Shortly after graduating from law school, he was partially paralyzed by a falling tree while jogging. He and his wife, Cecilia, a former school teacher and principal, have been married for 25 years. They live in Austin with their nine-year-old daughter, Audrey.

For more information, visit the Attorney General's Web site at www.oag.state.tx.us or call (800) 252-8011.