About a year and a half after retiring to battle cancer, Fred Bright says he's ready to get back in the courtroom.
Bright, former district attorney for the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit, says he's applied to be Central Georgia's next U.S. Attorney.
In August 2015, he retired to undergo treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. That included chemotherapy and a bone-marrow transplant.
Bright, who's 61, says doctors tell him he's in remission.
"I feel good. I walk 3 or 4 miles a day, and I've lost about 30-35 pounds," he says. "It wasn't a fun way to lose weight, but I was too fat before.
"I feel completely back to normal. My hair's coming back -- it's like a crewcut now."
Lately, Bright says he's been working on projects around his home in Gordon, including a remodeling.
"I'm almost caught up on those," he says. "I am a little bored. I want to get back to work."
That's why Bright says he's filled out an online application to become U.S. Attorney for the Middle Georgia.
The U.S. Attorney is appointed by the president, but Georgia's senators, Johnny Isakson and David Perdue, would have influence on the choice.
He says the Trump administration could name their choice by the spring, but his nominee also needs approval from the U.S. Senate.
As U.S. attorney, Bright would prosecute federal crimes in 70 Georgia counties -- everything fron tax fraud and bank robbery to drug dealing and weapons crimes.
He would be based at the U.S. attorney's Macon office. The job is currently held by interim G.F, "Pete" Peterman, who took over when Michael Moore resigned in 2015.
Bright worked for 34 years as a state prosecutor for the Milledgeville-based Ocmulgee district. He was district attorney for the last 13 years.
