Manhattan US Attorney Expected to Join Kirkland & Ellis
U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia of Manhattan is expected to announce that he is leaving government to join Kirkland & Ellis.
The New York Times quoted lawyers familiar with Garcia’s plans as saying he will join Kirkland & Ellis. A Wall Street Journal story (sub. req.) hedges, saying Garcia is in “advanced talks” to join the law firm.
Garcia was known for his prosecution of public corruption, white-collar crime and terrorism cases, as well as the prostitution investigation that led to the resignation of New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer. Garcia announced last week that he would not prosecute Spitzer on charges that he paid for high-class prostitutes.
Among those prosecuted by Garcia’s office are former Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik and political fundraiser Norman Hsu, the Times reports.
The Wall Street Journal says the office has suffered some recent setbacks. The Justice Department gave a different office the responsibility to investigate mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, a source told the newspaper. The story also says the office “bungled two high-profile tax- and securities-fraud prosecutions” initiated by Garcia’s predecessor, but does not identify the cases.
Possible replacements reported by both newspapers include Garcia’s top deputy, Lev Dassin, and two former prosecutors in the district. They are white-collar criminal defense lawyer Mark Pomerantz of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; and Preet Bharara, chief counsel to Sen. Charles Schumer on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
