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The U.S. Attorney: Fateful Powers Limited Essay., Tom Rickhoff

St. Mary's Law Journal

Nothing more separates the United States from some of history’s most ruthless and resourceful enemies, the Mexican drug syndicates, than an intermittent trickle of water. In spite of this crisis, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has languished without a presidentially-appointed leader since the Branch Davidian nightmare. Considering the historical influence of the U.S. Attorney’s office, the current situation in the Western District of Texas is somewhat surprising. At one time, U.S. Attorneys exercised almost total discretion as to how the federal government impacted the lives of the powerful as well as the powerless. One of the primary obstacles in restoring effective …