Trump Moves Quickly to Install New Leaders at Key U.S. Attorney’s Offices

The New York Times ^ | Jan. 21, 2025, 2:12 p.m. ET | Devlin Barrett, Benjamin Weiser, Glenn Thrush and William K. Rashbaum

[E. Pluribus Unum]

In its first 24 hours, the new Trump administration has reached into critical U.S. attorney’s offices to quickly appoint new interim leaders, signaling a break from past practice that reflects the importance of frontline prosecutors to the administration’s plans.

In three of the most important federal prosecutors’ offices — two in New York City and one in Washington — new acting leaders have been announced. Two of the picks are respected longtime prosecutors; the third is a Trump loyalist who had pushed for the release of Jan. 6 defendants.

The new acting head of the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan is Danielle Sassoon, best known for the successful 2023 prosecution of Sam Bankman-Fried for fraud in his cryptocurrency business.

John Durham, a veteran federal prosecutor on Long Island, will lead the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn. Mr. Durham is the son of John H. Durham, the former special counsel who investigated possible government misconduct in previous inquiries into President Trump.

And in Washington, officials announced that Ed Martin, a conservative activist lawyer, would be in charge of that U.S. attorney’s office, which has overseen the 1,500-plus prosecutions related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol. Mr. Trump granted clemency in all of those cases on Monday — and Mr. Martin, in his first official act, filed a motion to dismiss all of the Jan. 6 cases still pending.

Typically, when a new president is elected, most of the 93 U.S. attorneys from the previous administration resign and, until a replacement is nominated and confirmed by the Senate, their deputies serve in an acting capacity. That changeover period can last months.

In this instance, however, the Trump administration seems determined to quickly place its picks in key posts. The New York and Washington federal prosecutors’ offices...

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President Trump 2.0: No More Mister Nice Guy

[ClearCase_guy]

He’s all out of bubblegum.

[j.havenfarm]

I hope this Durham is more useful than his POS father

[BobL]

“President Trump 2.0: No More Mister Nice Guy”

Trump 1.0 seems to have thought that the Democrats could be dealt with as adults, possibly because he was able to deal with all types of people in his construction business. He was wrong, and obviously knows that. He has no interest in giving them ANY benefit of the doubt, or ANY level of trust.

And the thing is, if more than 10% of Republican voters understood the same about Democrats, you wouldn’t see idiots here posting how they sit out elections in order to ‘teach the Republicans a lesson’.

[MNJohnnie]

Funny it was not a bid deal when 0 did it

Obama to replace U.S. Attorneys
By JOSH GERSTEIN 05/15/2009 08:34 AM EDT

https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2009/05/obama-to-replace-us-attorneys-018390

[Srednik]

Wise move, given that so many in our judiciary — especially states attorney generals (who endorse election results and manage voter rolls) are Sorros-funded (and likely blackmailed) lickspittles.

[knarf]

BINGO !

[Nervous Tick]

>> if more than 10% of Republican voters understood the same about Democrats, you wouldn’t see idiots here posting how they sit out elections in order to ‘teach the Republicans a lesson’.

Preach it, brother! 👍🏻👍🏻