Former Senator Passes Away, Aged 72

Orowood Medcenter, Coruscant — Exar Ray, who represented the planet Dantooine in the New Republic Senate for seven years and chaired the influential Council on the Common Defense, has passed away on Coruscant, aged 72. The former Senator had been in a coma for nine years, since suffering a debilitating stroke in 11 ABY that ended his lauded, but controversial career.

Many of the Senator's former colleagues paid their respects to him in remarks to The Coruscant Journal. "Speaking of Exar Ray as a former Chair of the Defense Council," said Senator Orion Karath (Corellia), who currently chairs that Council, "he was aggressive in his policies and ensuring that the Defense Forces were taken care of and never lost their priority. Speaking of him as a person, he was a great man, who held closely his ideals and beliefs."

As a Senator, Ray was a tireless advocate for Dantooine and, in particular, its defense. During the Galactic Civil War, he served as the planet's governor and was known to support Rebel Alliance operations on the planet in defiance of the Empire. Even as a student during the Clone Wars he was noted for his heroism, having rescued civilians from crossfire during the Battle of Dantooine between the Old Republic and the Separatists. Ray was elected to the Senate upon the establishment of the New Republic in 4 ABY and served until his stroke in 11 ABY.

Ray would eventually serve as Chairman of the Senate's Defense Council, and used this position to further equip and modernize Dantooine's militia forces. This practice also landed the Senator in trouble, however, as his later days in office became the focus of an investigation into what became known as the "Lasergate" scandal, involving planetary weapons on Dantooine concealed from the authorities. Ray, embattled, resigned from the Council but maintained his innocence.

"The loss of Exar Ray is the loss of a patriot," noted Senator Cul'utaan Forte (Ryloth), "My predecessor, a Chair of the Defense Council, was a man who was respected, and his policies were followed through by my term. Despite any controversy in the later part of his term as Defense Chair, Senator, and leader of the [Dantooine] government, he is a man who should be respected."

Senator Jamulon Desilijic Tiure, who succeeded Exar Ray as the representative of Dantooine, added his tribute as well, noting that the Force had finally shown Senator Ray mercy after nine years in a comatose state. The Dantooine Embassy is hosting a viewing of Senator Ray before his repatriation to Dantooine and public burial this weekend. Several thousand Dantooinians are estimated to attend.