U.S. Attorney Jim Letten is resigning — effective next Tuesday. The prosecutor known for fighting corruption and police abuse is leaving because of an in-house scandal.
Letten is leaving after news broke that two of his top prosecutors were posting anonymous comments online at NOLA.com. The first left the office. The second is still there. A federal judge slammed Letten’s office for its handling of the in-house investigation. Without referring to the matter directly, Letten says he didn’t want his staff distracted by the case.
“The challenges which we take on — and especially our current challenges that we’re going through right now — never, ever, ever, under any circumstances, threaten to divert or distract us from our sacred mission.”
The Justice Department has appointed an interim replacement. Letten says he will stay on unofficially to help with the transition.
