Adams Case Threatens NY Southern District's 'Supremacy'
Marc Frazer Scholl, counsel at LBKM and former white collar prosecutor and investigator of public corruption, commented in Law360 on the end of the criminal prosecution of NYC Mayor Eric Adams after the Justice Department took control of the case from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York—threatening the Southern District's historic independence and privileged status within the Justice Department.
The Southern District frequently takes the lead on high-profile prosecutions, due in part to its expertise in prosecuting financial crime and its proximity to financial markets. Some experts predict "Main Justice" may now exert more centralized control over these cases or assign them to other districts.
Disregarding the traditional factors determining which district gets to take the lead on a particular case would "appear political," Marc noted.
"It seems to me that a federal criminal investigation or prosecution should always go to the U.S. attorney's office possessing the most expertise, resources and competence to pursue it, without consideration of politics," he added.
Read the article in full [https://www.law360.com/articles/2320732].