U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak resigned his position Monday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
In 2017, Pak was appointed the top federal prosecutor in the Northern District of Georgia by President Donald Trump, reportedly making history as the first-ever Korean American to hold the position of U.S. Attorney. He previously served six years in the Georgia House of Representatives, representing a portion of Gwinnett County, and is widely seen as a rising star in the state Republican Party.
“It has been the greatest honor of my professional career to have been able to serve my fellow citizens as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia,” Pak said late Monday in an emailed statement. “I have done my best to be thoughtful and consistent, and to provide justice for my fellow citizens in a fair, effective and efficient manner. I am grateful to President Trump and the United States Senate for the opportunity to serve, and to former Attorneys General (Jeff) Sessions and (William) Barr for their leadership of the department.”
The online news site Talking Points Memo, which first reported Pak’s resignation, said it obtained a memo dated Monday in which Pak said “unforeseen circumstances” were the cause of his departure. TPM reported Pak originally intended to stay with the office until Inauguration Day on Jan. 20. New presidential administrations typically appoint new U.S. attorneys, who must be approved by the Senate.
It’s unclear what those “unforeseen circumstances” might have been. Pak did not return a message seeking comment.
