[5][6] Before entering federal service, he was a Deputy District Attorney in Multnomah County, Oregon.

[6] In 2017, he wrote an opinion piece in The Oregonian stating that "Oregon's sanctuary status declaration directly contravenes federal immigration law and threatens public safety".

[7][8] In February 2018, Williams convened a federal law enforcement summit in Portland at which he stated Oregon has a "formidable marijuana overproduction and diversion problem".

"[9] That and other comments were taken as "reassurances for rule-following Oregon [cannabis] businesses" in the wake of the January 2018 rescission of the Cole Memorandum.

[10] In August 2020, he announced that 74 people would be charged "for crimes committed adjacent to or under the guise of peaceful demonstrations in Portland", including for assault, destruction of federal property, failing to obey lawful orders, and disorderly conduct.