3 days ago
Will Judges Approve Trump's Choice for U.S. Attorney in Manhattan?
The former Russian diplomat faced several charges, including money laundering, that could have landed him behind bars for a long time. But in June, shortly before his trial, the Manhattan U.S. attorney's office accepted a guilty plea from the man to only one charge, which might let him avoid prison altogether.
The judge, Jed S. Rakoff, said he was curious: Was the office's change in position discussed with or initiated by the Justice Department in Washington?
'No, your honor,' a prosecutor replied.
'OK,' Judge Rakoff said. 'I wanted to make sure we didn't have an Adams situation here.'
The judge was referring to the resignation in February of the head of the U.S. attorney's office after she refused a Trump Justice Department edict to seek the dismissal of charges against New York's mayor, Eric Adams. The department then orchestrated the dismissal anyway.
The former diplomat's guilty plea proceeded as planned, but the courtroom exchange was revealing. It showed that judges still have lingering concerns about the independence and authority of the U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of New York, now led on an interim basis by Jay Clayton, President Trump's pick to be the top prosecutor.
The issue is expected to crystallize later this month when the roughly four dozen judges of the Southern District court, based in Manhattan, are to vote on whether to appoint Mr. Clayton to remain in the post.
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