Jay Weaver covers the recent firings (Michael Thakur, Brooke Watson, and Anne McNamara) and departures from the U.S. Attorney's office here:
In 2023, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland honored Miami federal prosecutor Brooke C. Watson with a prestigious award recognizing her “exceptional dedication” to prosecuting a ring that used fake identities to commit about $50 million in COVID-19 loan fraud. Last year, Watson received another Justice Department award for “exceptional service” disrupting a ransomware group that threatened to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from computer networks worldwide. But on Friday, Garland’s successor, Pam Bondi, fired Watson in a terse email to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami — providing no reason, according to multiple sources familiar with her termination.
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Since Trump started his second term, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has undergone a “brain drain,” losing not only Thakur and Watson to firings but also many other veteran prosecutors to retirement or career opportunities. Among them: Joan Silverstein, Bob Senior, Dan Bernstein, Kiran Bhat, Tom Watts-Fitzgerald, Jonathan Stratton, Tony Gonzalez, Ignacio Vazquez, Lisa Rubio, Dexter Lee, Jeff Kaplan and Paul Schwartz.
23 comments:
Brain drain should be in quotes. Has Weaver ever objectively reported on the US Attorney’s Office? He’s a sycophantic hack.
Trump is making America great. If you are not aboard, step aside.
To 1:21 pm
Make me.
Violence is always your answer. SAD!
1:21 - you obviously have no clue how losing many of these people doesn’t make America great. Just less safe, less smart, and less prepared. But go on clutching to your cult.
You forgot John Keller, former acting chief of PIN infamous for investigating innocent criminal defense lawyers for receipt of 6th amendment fees.
SPOT ON!
I’m sorry some of my people are infecting your blog. There’s some good, experienced names there. And more importantly, having recently asked that office to exercise some discretion and basically being told they don’t have any, it’s an office with a cloud of fear influencing every decision. A great prosecutor going to bat for a cause or to make a decision on a case that doesn’t involve filing the most serious charge and seeking guidelines - that’s not going to happen anymore during this oppressive reign of fear. Like in China, anyone who sticks their neck out over a principle will have their head chopped off. Welcome to America 2025.
I remember when Weaver lamented the brain drain at the FPD when Kash Patel left. Now Patel is part of the Deep State that's covering up Epstein.
Rumpole stay in your lane. If you think the aggressive prosecuting of which you bemoan is a function of the new administration you've never been in federal court. I don't want to call individuals out but how many of the names on the Herald list exercised any discretion in favor of criminal defendants?
To be certain, the USAO has recently lost a good deal of legal talent. Many of the losses, however, are career prosecutors who simply retired when their "time had come." As for Weaver's reporting and his commitment to accuracy, it bears noting that several of the individuals identified in the article did not leave after President Trump's term began, as Weaver reported, but in 2024. For Weaver, it seems like facts again stood in the way of a good narrative. All that said, the office has openings in every division and is actively seeking to hire. We should all support that effort, as a strong, well-staffed and professional USAO is in the community's interest.
759
You are right in that some of these people left during the disastrous reign of La Pointe/Mike Davis. The two of them started the downward spiral of that office. You are correct we need that office to function but it’s a pretty tough task with the exit of so many good prosecutors. There are still some great lawyers in that office and I wish them the best of luck trying to fix the place.
And yet somehow disgraced H. Ron still has a job.
There has been a brain drain everywhere. Loyalty to the agency and rule of law does not matter. When are we going to discuss the political courts. The Appeals Courts or Supreme Court has ruled the president can dismantle government agencies without Congress yet the Constitution says Congress has the power to create agencies. The Supreme Court rules for unlimited presidential power over government employees. Strange because a few years ago they ruled the President could not mandate Covid vaccines for government employees. The court takes political sides and contradicts itself constantly.
2:16 isn’t it time for your nap? I’ve dealt with US attorneys since the 1970s. You have zero idea of what a good federal prosecutor is. I could recount names but you’d be scrolling IG to look for them when they are in history books not on social media. But let me take you back to not that long ago when Janet Reno was the Attorney General and had a simple philosophy. Do the right thing. Go where the evidence takes you. Be decent and a person of your word. You remember her right ? You were in kindergarten then correct ? The simple fact is that I’ve met many AUSAs who have for various reasons gone to bat for my clients and offered very fair deals. But now the issue is (and I get this went over your head ) they won’t go to bat for your client without risking their entire career. Thats the difference. Under Reno maybe the answer was yes. Maybe no. But they didn’t get fired for asking.
Ok Boomer.
Lmao
The biggest brain drain in recent memory was John Byrne's and Frank Maderal's leaving the Office for greener pastures.
Brooke Watson was one such attorney.
Maderal please find something else to do
At least Silverstein’s reign of misconduct is over.
It’s the one thing to be grateful for LaPointe.
At least Silverstein had a spine...
Rumpole- this bunch off newer AUSAs are just looking for headlines and an opportunity to grovel for judgeships.
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