Chertoff names new public affairs assistant secretary

Homeland Security Department Michael Chertoff has appointed J. Edward Fox assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS.

"One of this department's most important tasks is to communicate clearly and effectively with the American public and stakeholders, and Ed brings more than 25 years of experience in external affairs to my senior leadership team," Chertoff said in a statement about the appointment.

Fox was most recently assistant administrator for legislative and public affairs at the U.S. Agency for International Development. Before that, he was in the private sector as president and chief executive officer of Fox and Associates, vice president of the Carmen Group, and managing director of government and international affairs at a large national law firm. He also worked with the Reagan administration as assistant secretary for legislative and intergovernmental affairs at the State Department and in the White House as special assistant to the president for legislative affairs.