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The U.S. Attorney Firings Of 2006: Main Justice's Centralization Efforts In Historical Context, James Eisenstein
The U.S. Attorney Firings Of 2006: Main Justice's Centralization Efforts In Historical Context, James Eisenstein
Seattle University Law Review
The media, the political establishment, and the federal criminal jus-community's focus on the compelling story of the firings is hardly surprising. The details emerged over a period of many months through leaks, internal Department of Justice (DOJ) emails, press releases, interviews, and dramatic congressional testimony. The media's focus on the firings obscured their deeper significance with regard to the nature of the relations between the DOJ and its ninety-three United States Attorneys' Offices (USAOs). This Article addresses this omission by looking at the consequences of these events for the balance struck between central control by Main Justice in Washington and …
Live And Learn: Depoliticizing The Interim Appointments Of U.S. Attorneys, Laurie L. Levenson
Live And Learn: Depoliticizing The Interim Appointments Of U.S. Attorneys, Laurie L. Levenson
Seattle University Law Review
Following the U.S. Attorney purge of 2006-2007, it is time to reassess the approach used to appoint interim U.S. Attorneys. Recent events have taught us how quickly U.S. Attorneys can become political pawns. Indeed, this scandal has jeopardized the credibility of federal prosecutors, disillusioned career prosecutors in those positions, and called into question the separation between professionalism and politics in the enforcement of our federal laws. To restore confidence in U.S. Attorneys Offices, a reexamination of the interim appointment process is critical so that the mistakes of 2006 are not repeated.
The Constitutional And Statutory Framework Organizing The Office Of The United States Attorney, Christian M. Halliburton
The Constitutional And Statutory Framework Organizing The Office Of The United States Attorney, Christian M. Halliburton
Seattle University Law Review
The U.S. Attorney position is one characterized by a broad delegation of the duty to enforce the laws of the United States, and to appear on behalf of the government in any civil action involving the United States or its revenues. This delegation of duties necessarily entails the exercise of discretion, and that exercise of discretion necessarily depends on the United States Attorneys' independence of judgment. The U.S. Attorney can thus be described as an agent with multiple principles, or a servant of two masters: the U.S. Attorneys clearly serve at the "pleasure" of the President, must be responsive to …
Train Wreck At The Justice Department: An Eyewitness Account, John Mckay
Train Wreck At The Justice Department: An Eyewitness Account, John Mckay
Seattle University Law Review
In a series of early morning phone calls on December 7, 2006, seven United States Attorneys were ordered to resign. Despite initial denials, it would later be revealed that two other U.S. Attorneys had also been ordered to submit their resignations, bringing the total number to nine. Each was given no explanation for the dismissal and most were led to believe that they alone were being dismissed, raising the specter of unstated wrongdoing and encouraging silent departures. Those dismissed uniformly cited the maxim that they "served at the pleasure of the President" and most sought to avoid publicly disputing the …