Cassandra Butts, the lawyer nominated to be the next U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas has died at the age of 50. It has been reported that she died on Thursday May 26th, 2016. The classmate and personal friend of President Barack Obama was found dead in her home by a family member. A statement from the family, said that she had suffered from a brief illness.  Condolences included below have come in from the Hon. Fred Mitchell, Chargé d’ Affaires Lisa Johnson and the White House. 


CONDOLENCES BY BAHAMAS FOREIGN MINISTER THE HON. FRED MITCHELL ON THE PASSING OF AMBASSADOR DESIGNATE FROM THE UNITED STATES TO THE BAHAMAS CASSANDRA BUTTS

27 May 2016

I am shocked beyond measure by the news that Ambassador Designate Cassandra Butts has died. 

This is incredible. 

She never got a chance to serve in our country but I had the opportunity to work with her  during the time of last year’s General Assembly of the United Nations when she was on special assignment in the run up to our bid for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council. 

She was thoughtful, organized, helpful and sober. She had a keen sense of judgement on just how to approach the tasks at hand.  I looked forward to her confirmation and to her working in The Bahamas.

This news is very sad.

I believe that the United States has lost a great patriot.  I believe that The Bahamas has lost a friend.  She so looked forward to the assignment; she was so pleased that her friend the President of the United States had chosen her to serve in the Office of Ambassador.  Sadly this was not to be.
I offer condolences on behalf of the Government and people of The Bahamas.

May she rest in peace.

Statement by Chargé d’ Affaires Lisa Johnson on the Passing of Cassandra Q. Butts, Nominee to be U.S. Ambassador to The Commonwealth of The Bahamas

On behalf of U.S. Embassy Nassau, I extend our deepest condolences to the family of Cassandra Butts, who passed away.

Cassandra Butts was honored that President Obama had asked her to be the next U.S. Ambassador to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.  She was greatly looking forward to forging even stronger ties between our two nations.  Cassandra was a wonderful nominee for The Bahamas.  She was an exemplary public servant with a passion for equality and justice.  As a lawyer and policy advocate, Cassandra was committed to defending civil and human rights for people throughout the world.  She was determined to tackle issues such as economic development, citizen safety and security, and social justice in The Bahamas.  Even while patiently awaiting U.S. Senate confirmation, Cassandra was a great friend to The Bahamas.  Over the last year, she worked closely with The Bahamas in her capacity as a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. 

This is a tremendous loss to The United States and The Bahamas and she will be greatly missed.  Our heartfelt sympathies are with her family and all who knew and loved her.


Statement from the President and First Lady on the Passing of Cassandra Quin Butts

May 27, 2016

To know Cassandra Butts was to know someone who made you want to be better. And Michelle and I were fortunate enough to count her as a friend for most of our adult lives.

Cassandra and I met as law students, and we quickly discovered a shared passion for jazz – and for public service. It was a passion she’d chase for the rest of her life – on Capitol Hill, at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and as an advisor of mine – but above all, as a citizen, always pushing, always doing her part to advance the causes of opportunity, civil rights, development, and democracy. Cassandra was someone who put her hands squarely on that arc of the moral universe, and never stopped doing whatever she could to bend it towards justice.

We lost her this week, at far too young an age. But along with all her friends and family, we find comfort in the knowledge that all the good she did for so many lives on. She made America better. She made so many lives better, including ours. We admired her so much. And we will miss her deeply.