June 22, 2007
Attorney General Baker Honored With Highest Award Among Nation's Attorneys General
Baker Receives Prestigious Kelley-Wyman Award During National Association of Attorneys General Conference
Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker received the National Association of Attorneys General's (NAAG) prestigious Kelley-Wyman award on Thursday, June 21, 2007 at the culmination of the organization's annual summer meeting held in Atlanta, Georgia this week. The Kelley-Wyman Award - the association's highest honor - is given to the Attorney General who has done the most to advance the objectives of the association. General Baker was selected to receive the award by his peers following his historic tenure as president of one of the nation's oldest legal associations.
This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the Association and the end of General Baker's service as its president. Baker was the first African American to serve as president of the National Association of Attorney's General.
General Baker pointed to his Presidential Initiative as one of his proudest accomplishments. Baker stated that, "my initiative, consisting of regional meetings of Attorneys General, law enforcement and policy makers, fostered a critical dialogue on how law enforcement can deal with the vexing issues of internet safety, financial fraud, and Methamphetamine abuse."
'We've reached out across the political and corporate divide, looking for common ground in public-private partnerships that work, and I am deeply thankful for the efforts of all of my colleagues," Baker continued. "As Attorneys General, we have a proud and strong tradition of independence from outside pressures and devotion to our obligations under the law. I am proud to be a part of that honorable tradition."
About NAAG
The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) was founded in 1907 to help Attorneys General fulfill the responsibilities of their offices and to assist in the delivery of high quality legal services to the states and territorial jurisdictions. The Association fosters interstate cooperation on legal and law enforcement issues, conducts policy research and analysis of issues, and facilitates communication between the states' chief legal officers and all levels of government. The Association's members are the Attorneys General of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico (Secretary of Justice) and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. The U.S. Attorney General is an honorary member.