Justice Department considering replacing US attorney in Brooklyn with Barr ally
The Justice Department is considering replacing the US attorney in Brooklyn with a senior department official close to Attorney General William Barr, officials briefed on the matter said.
On Thursday, Richard Donoghue, the US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, told his staff he'd be stepping down to move to Washington as the Justice Department's principal associate deputy attorney general, a powerful position that acts as a gatekeeper to investigations across the country, a spokesman for the office, John Marzulli, told CNN. The most recent principal associate deputy attorney general, Seth DuCharme, is now being considered by department leadership for the top role in the Brooklyn office, where he had built his career as a prosecutor.
The job swap discussion comes as Barr has drawn outrage for his management of politically significant cases, which was heightened last month as he forced out the US attorney in Manhattan, Geoffrey Berman, after the two clashed over prosecutions sensitive to the White House. The changeover in the neighboring district of Brooklyn, however, involves two men who are said to be favorites of the attorney general and are set to remain in senior positions within the department.
The Brooklyn post wields significant influence by virtue of its jurisdiction and recently has investigated individuals close to President Donald Trump, including Tom Barrack, who chaired the President's inaugural committee. Barrack was interviewed last year and, according to his spokesman, was told prosecutors had no further questions for him. Barrack has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/02/politics/us-attorney-brooklyn-barr-ally/index.html
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