Deborah Kay Jones (born 1956) is an American diplomat and the former United States Ambassador to Libya.[1][2] Prior to her appointment in Libya, she was the United States Ambassador to Kuwait from 2008 to 2011.[3]
Deborah Jones | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2008 | |
| 11th United States Ambassador to Libya | |
| In office June 20, 2013 – November 19, 2015 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Christopher Stevens |
| Succeeded by | Peter Bodde |
| United States Ambassador to Kuwait | |
| In office April 28, 2008 – June 30, 2011 | |
| President | George W. Bush Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Richard LeBaron |
| Succeeded by | Matthew Tueller |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1956 (age 67–68) |
| Spouse | Richard Olson (m. 1990 - div. 2019) |
| Alma mater | Brigham Young University National Defense University |
Life edit
She graduated from Brigham Young University, and from National Defense University.[4]
She was married to Richard G. Olson 1990-2019, the former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and they have two children.[4][5]
Jones and Olson were investigated by the State Department's Office of Inspector General for failing to report a gift of diamonds worth $60,000 by the Emir of Dubai to Jones' mother while Olson was head of the U.S. Consulate in Dubai, and Jones was leading the State Department's Office of Arabian Affairs in Washington. Jones had also previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission in the United Arab Emirates (of which Dubai is a part). The State Department closed the investigation without taking action after the couple successfully argued that Jones’s mother was not their dependent for tax purposes at the time of the gift, and therefore not covered by the requirements of the Foreign Gifts and Decoration Act. In September 2016 letter, State Department lawyers requested that the couple voluntarily relinquish the diamonds, stating it was “extremely disappointing that you were not sufficiently concerned with the gift to seek guidance from the ethics office.” Jones' mother died in December 2022, and Jones stated to the Washington Post in September 2023 that she did not know what happened to the diamonds.[6]
Jones served as U.S. Ambassador to Libya from 2013 to 2015, though this posting became non-residential on July 26, 2014, when the Tripoli embassy was closed and diplomatic activities were moved to the U.S. Embassy in Valletta, Malta.[7]
References edit
- ^ Gordon, Michael R. (14 March 2013). "Obama Meets Libyan Premier and Names Envoy". The New York Times. No. March 13, 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ^ "Ambassador | Embassy of the United States Tripoli, Libya". Libya.usembassy.gov. 2013-06-26. Archived from the original on 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
- ^ "Jones, Deborah K." U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Public Affairs, Office of Website Management. Archived from the original on 26 February 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
- ^ a b "Ambassador Deborah K. Jones". U.S. Embassy Kuwait. U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
- ^ "Olson, Richard". U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Public Affairs, Office of Website Management. Archived from the original on 18 November 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
- ^ "Diamonds, girlfriends, illicit lobbying: The fall of a former ambassador". Washington Post. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "Deborah Kay Jones - People - Department History - Office of the Historian".
External links edit
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- "US Ambassador Lectures at AUK on "The History and Influence of US Higher Education in the Middle East"". American University of Kuwait. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2014.