Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins Resigning Due to DOJ Probe – Watch
Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins has resigned after a Department of Justice (DOJ) probe found that she had engaged in “serious misconduct.”
Rollins was a controversial pick to be Massachusetts’ top federal law enforcer and twice needed Vice President Kamala Harris to break a tie for her nomination to move forward in the Senate. She faced fierce opposition from Republicans, who believed she was a radical.
Rollins, a Democrat, was appointed U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts in 2019 by then-Attorney General William Barr. She quickly made a name for herself by announcing that she would not prosecute certain low-level offenses, such as drug possession and shoplifting.
Her attendance at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in 2022 landed Rollins in hot water. An investigation into that appearance was opened by the DOJ’s inspector general in November. This probe later expanded to include her use of her personal cellphone to conduct Justice Department business, as well as travel to California paid for by an outside group.
Rollins defended her attendance at the fundraising event saying in a tweet, I wasn’t asked for a comment before this ran. It’s almost as if the Herald didn’t want to know I had approval to meet Dr. Biden & left early to speak at 2 community events last night. Alas, back to keeping Boston & MA Part 1 crime. Nice try though.
Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) raised questions regarding the incident in a letter demanding the investigation:
“The Hatch Act strictly forbids DOJ employees from using their positions to solicit donations for political parties. In some cases, it does allow attending such events.
But Cotton, in his letter to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, points out that Rollins arrived during “typical business hours,” in a vehicle with government plates and ‘in her official capacity as United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.’”
In a statement, Rollins said that she was “deeply disappointed” by the DOJ’s findings, but that she had “no choice but to resign.” She also said that she was “committed to working with the DOJ to ensure a smooth transition.”
Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins will resign after a monthslong ethics investigation by the Justice Department’s inspector general into her appearance at a political fundraiser and other potential issues, her attorney said Tuesday. https://t.co/0DWoQN7mEP pic.twitter.com/atn9BlooTI
— Boston 25 News (@boston25) May 16, 2023