John Smietanka

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John A. Smietanka (born June 28, 1941, in Chicago) was the prosecutor for Berrien County, Michigan, from 1974 to 1981, and a United States Attorney in the Western District of Michigan, appointed by Ronald Reagan, from 1981 until 1994.

Career as a U.S. attorney

Notable cases that Smietanka handled in the U.S. Attorney's office include the disappearance of West German freight ship captain Fredrich Helling in Lake Michigan,[1] an investigation into sales of diluted orange juice,[2] and a major Chicago gang prosecution which fell apart amid accusations of inappropriate favors given to prosecution witnesses.[3] Smiteanka also worked with Michigan Attorney General Frank J. Kelley to prosecute state representative Stephen Shepich and other people connected with fraud in the Michigan House Fiscal Agency.[4]

The

John Marshall Law School (Chicago)
honored him as a distinguished alumnus in 1986.

Failed nomination to the Sixth Circuit

On January 24, 1992, President

U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Smietanka's nomination languished, and it lapsed with the end of Bush's presidency. President Bill Clinton did not renominate Smietanka to the Sixth Circuit.[5]

Run for Attorney General

In 1994 and 1998, Smietanka was the Republican candidate for Michigan Attorney General, but lost in both years to his opponents. In 1998 he lost to Jennifer Granholm.

Current work

Smietanka is now in private practice as a partner in Smietanka, Buckleitner, Steffes and Gezon, a Michigan law firm. In 2005, he helped free Larry Souter, wrongfully convicted as a murderer,

Slovak lawyers about the American legal system.[10]

See also

  • George H.W. Bush judicial appointment controversies

References

  1. San Jose Mercury News
    , October 26, 1987.
  2. ^ Perlman, Lisa (February 19, 1993), "Manufacturers Charged With Selling Diluted Juice", Associated Press.
  3. ^ Cohen, Sharon (August 15, 1993), "Sex, Lies, Drugs, Shame: Major Gang Prosecution Unravels in Chicago Justice: Disclosures have turned a successful effort into a major embarrassment for the federal government. A six-year probe that led to 53 convictions is in jeopardy", Los Angeles Times.
  4. ^ Eric Freedman, "Corruption Lingers 20 years after Legislative scandal erupted", in Macomb Daily Jan. 21, 2013
  5. Detroit News
    , May 24, 2005.
  6. Detroit News, January 20, 2005, archived from the original
    on May 21, 2008 .
  7. ^ "2005 Lawyers of the Year", Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 2005, archived from the original on 2007-08-14.
  8. Washington Post
    .
  9. ^ Michigan Attorneys Join Supporters Of McCain: Top Attorneys From East And West Michigan Co-Chair McCain Coalition. Press release from McCain campaign web site.
  10. ^ Training for New Czech/Slovak Lawyers Archived 2010-05-27 at the Wayback Machine, The John Marshall Law School.

External links

Legal offices
Preceded by
Robert C. Greene
 United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan
1981–1994 		Succeeded by
Thomas J. Gezon
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Michigan Attorney General
1994, 1998 		Succeeded by
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