Legal News

L.A. corruption unit disbanded

By Jason Siegel

Los Angeles' federal public integrity unit was disbanded last Monday by the U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles Thomas O'Brien, The Recorder reported.

The 17 attorneys in the unit will move to the major fraud and organized crime section, spokesperson Thom Mrozek told The Recorder.

Mrozek wouldn't answer questions about the reasons for the unit's dismantling. But the article provides some possibilities:

1) The office moved the public fraud section out of the public integrity unit in 2006, when public fraud cases are often more numerous than those involving corrupt politicians.
2) Corruption cases are long, complicated and hard to defend come budget time as they don't produce as many indictments as other sections.
3) Several experienced lawyers left recently for private practice.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on March 17, 2008 (boomark / email).