On Monday, the federal prosecutor who oversaw the convictions of disgraced cryptocurrency tycoon Sam Bankman-Fried, Jeffrey Epstein’s accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, and Senator Robert Menendez announced that he will resign as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York next month.
In a statement announcing his plan to step down effective at 11:59 p.m. on December 13, Damian Williams, who has also been in charge of the prosecutions of rap musician Sean Diddy Combs and New York City Mayor Eric Adams, said, “Serving the American people has been an honor.”
In 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Williams, a veteran of the office and the first Black man to occupy the esteemed and influential position. Donald Trump, the incoming president, had previously declared his intention to succeed him.
The Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office, which was once led by Rudy Giuliani, deals with some of the most intricate and well-known criminal cases in the nation, such as instances involving terrorism, securities fraud, and public corruption.
Williams oversaw the convictions of Maxwell on sex trafficking charges, FTX CEO Bankman-Fried on fraud charges, and Menendez, the longstanding Democratic senator from New Jersey, on bribery charges.
Among others awaiting trial are Combs on a variety of counts, including sex trafficking and racketeering, and Adams on allegations of wire fraud and bribery. They both entered not guilty pleas.
Earlier this year, Williams was also in charge of a case with an Iranian man who was accused of plotting to kill then-candidate Trump.
In his statement, Williams described his resignation as “bittersweet.”
It is bitter because I am leaving my ideal position as the head of an organization I adore, which employs some of the best public servants in the world. It’s delicious because I know I’m going at a time when the Office is operating at an exceptionally high level, maintaining and surpassing its extremely high standards of independence, excellence, and integrity,” he said.
Following his resignation, Edward Y. Kim, Williams’ deputy, will take over as acting U.S. attorney.
Earlier this month, Trump declared that he would be appointing Jay Clayton, the former head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to lead the position.
In 2020, Trump first proposed Clayton for the position, but the New York Sens’ resistance caused his candidacy to be shelved. Democrats Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, as well as the reasons behind the resignation of then-U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman. Trump sacked Berman after he resisted demands that he step down to make room for Clayton.
After serving as acting U.S. attorney until October 2021, Audrey Strauss, Berman’s deputy, was legally appointed to the position.
Additionally, after first requesting that Berman stay in his position, Trump dismissed Berman’s predecessor, Preet Bharara.
Following Clayton’s nomination, Trump referred to him as “a highly respected business leader, counsel, and public servant.”
“Jay is going to be a strong Fighter for the Truth as we Make America Great Again,” the president wrote.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!