The district attorney of Manhattan, New York, one of the most sensitive in the United States, where rapper P. Diddy and the city’s mayor, Eric Adams, are charged, announced his resignation on Monday, November 25, before his arrival to the White House of Donald Trump, who had promised to replace him. “Today is a bittersweet day for me, as I announce my resignation from the position of prosecutor. [fédéral] of the Southern District of New York »wrote Damian Williams, who made history in American justice by becoming the first African-American prosecutor appointed to this position in New York.
“It’s a bitter day because I’m leaving my dream job.”but “I am confident that I am leaving at a time when this prosecutor’s office is performing incredibly well, above and beyond its already high standards of excellence, integrity and independence.”adds the 44-year-old judge, appointed by Joe Biden, and whose resignation will take effect on December 13.
Donald Trump is accused of appointing people close to the Justice Department to serve his interests. During his campaign, he promised to fire special prosecutor Jack Smith, who led the investigation into him for his alleged illicit attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, and appointed his own lawyers to key Justice Department positions.
Delicate and high-profile cases
He also announced, following his victory over Kamala Harris, that he would appoint Jay Clayton, who works at a corporate law firm and is former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the federal agency, to the position of Manhattan prosecutor for regulation and oversight. . financial markets.
The Manhattan prosecutor’s office may be required to investigate large American companies and sensitive, high-profile cases. At its head, Damian Williams led in particular the accusations against the rapper and producer P. Diddy, accused of having taken advantage of his notoriety and power to sexually exploit dozens of people, or against the current mayor of New York, Eric Adams, in a case of corruption. They were not tried and pleaded not guilty.
Former cryptocurrency king Sam Bankman-Fried was also sentenced to twenty-five years in prison for one of the worst financial frauds in recent history, while former British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to twenty years in prison for sex trafficking of minors. on behalf of the United States. financier Jeffrey Epstein.
