"Prosecutors owe loyalty to the public" Commentary by a former assistant U.S. attorney

[in_cog_ni_to]

COMMENTARY
Prosecutors owe loyalty to the public

By Patrick M. Collins
Published April 17, 2007
Chicago Tribune

<snip>

The "loyalty" question is not some abstract concept about politics and ideology. Rather, it is a question with important practical consequences that are tied to the central role of prosecutors in our justice system. Prosecutors alone have the power to present an indictment to a grand jury, an awesome power that, once executed, typically changes the course of lives forever.

Further, given that law enforcement agencies have limited resources, the way in which prosecutors and agencies such as the FBI allocate those resources goes a long way in determining which types of offenses and offenders will have to face the justice system.

Finally, an effective justice system requires the support and confidence of the community at large. If the public perceives that prosecutions are influenced by partisan affiliations or political agendas, it will quickly -- and appropriately -- lose confidence in its prosecutors. In recent published comments, Gonzales said, "Faith and confidence in our justice system are more important than any one individual."

In e-mails and documents released in recent weeks, we have learned that certain high-ranking Justice officials, when considering particular top prosecutors to terminate and others to replace them, answered the loyalty question in partisan political terms. Distressingly, these Justice officials appear to have placed a premium on installing prosecutors with established partisan political resumes.<snip>

If we replace non-partisan public service with blind political loyalty, we will have sacrificed one of the core values of our judicial system.

More at link:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0704160329apr17,1,7950509.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

[rumpel]

1. this is a much appreciated comment..

kick & recommended

[Missy Vixen]

2. Thank you for posting this

I'm really glad to read Patrick Collins speaking out on this subject.

Julie

[alfredo]

3. Thanks for the commentary. K&R

[myrna minx]

4. Thanks for posting. Hear hear. n/t

[indepat]

5. Making a mockery out of everything that set America apart from the rest of the world:

we now have partisan, not equal, justice under the law.

[bobthedrummer]

6. kick