Rachael Rollins
Rachael Rollins | |
---|---|
United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | |
In office January 10, 2022 – May 19, 2023 | |
President | Joe Biden |
Preceded by | Andrew Lelling |
Succeeded by | Joshua S. Levy (acting) |
District Attorney of Suffolk County | |
In office January 2, 2019 – January 10, 2022 | |
Preceded by | John Pappas |
Succeeded by | Kevin R. Hayden |
Personal details | |
Born | ) | March 3, 1971
Rachael Splaine Rollins (born March 3, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the
In July 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Rollins to be the United States attorney for the District of Massachusetts.[1][2] She was confirmed by the United States Senate by a 50–50 vote, with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie.[3] She is an advocate for criminal justice reform.[4] She resigned in May 2023 after an investigation revealed multiple ethics violations, including that she had leaked government secrets to influence the election of a political ally.[5]
Early life and education
Rollins was born in
Career
Rollins began her legal career as a
District attorney
Election
During her campaign, Rollins pledged to
Tenure
Rollins succeeded John P. Pappas, who was appointed by Governor Charlie Baker to serve as Suffolk County district attorney from September 26, 2018, completing the final months of Daniel F. Conley's 16-year term.[20][21]
In March 2019, she laid out a
A study by economists at Rutgers University, Texas A&M University, and New York University found that Rollins's policy change whereby nonviolent misdemeanor offenses would not be prosecuted did not lead to an increase in crime rates and that it reduced the likelihood that nonviolent misdemeanor offenders would be arrested in the future.[24]
Cash bail
After campaigning on a platform that included reducing the use of
U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts
Nomination and confirmation
In July 2021, President
On September 30, 2021, her nomination was stalled in committee by an 11–11 vote.[32] On December 8, 2021, Vice President Kamala Harris cast a tie-breaking vote on the Senate's motion to invoke cloture on, as well as to confirm, Rollins's nomination.[33] After her confirmation, the United States Marshals Service refused Rollins' request for a full time security detail, assessing that she was at a low risk of actual harm after receiving death threats via email.[34] On January 10, 2022, she was sworn-in as the United States attorney for the District of Massachusetts.[35]
Ethics probe and resignation
In November 2022, the United States Department of Justice's inspector general opened a wide-ranging ethics probe into Rollins' appearance at a Democratic National Committee political fundraiser with First Lady Jill Biden, her travel, and use of her personal cellphone.[36]
The inspector general's 161-page report alleged a broad array of misconduct by Rollins. It accused her of disclosing to a journalist nonpublic information about a possible Justice Department investigation, soliciting and accepting 30 free tickets to a Boston Celtics game and accepting thousands of dollars from a sports and entertainment agency for flights and a stay at a luxury resort. According to the report, Rollins tried to influence the outcome of the race to succeed her as
Another federal watchdog agency, the
Rollins resigned on May 19, 2023, preventing the federal government from disciplining her.[39][40][41][42]
In February 2024, Rollins was suspended from practicing law in Massachusetts for nonpayment of registration fees.[43]She regained the law license in April.[44]
As of March 2024, Rollins works as the Special Projects Administrator at Roxbury Community College, reportedly tasked with leading a program for formerly incarcerated people.[45]
References
- ^ "President Biden Announces Eight Nominees to Serve as U.S. Attorneys". The White House. July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ Neidig, Harper (July 26, 2021). "Biden nominates progressive DA as US attorney in Massachusetts". The Hill. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ "U.S. Senate: Roll Call Votes 117th Congress – 1st Session (2021)". www.senate.gov. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ^ "Federal watchdogs issue scathing reports on U.S. attorney for Massachusetts". POLITICO. May 17, 2023.
- ^ "Rollins brings mandate for change – and blunt style – to Suffolk DA's job". CommonWealth Magazine. December 21, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ "School Committee members sworn into office, triggering the process to replace missing sixth". Cambridge Day. January 7, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ^ The Rappaport Center for Law and Public Policy: Rachael Rollins
- ^ "Rachael Rollins". Kennedy Summer School. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ a b Dwyer, Dialynn. "Q&A: Suffolk County District Attorney-elect Rachael Rollins on her priorities and how her personal experiences inform her work as a prosecutor". www.boston.com. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ "Rachael Rollins for Suffolk DA | Charges to be Declined". Archived from the original on April 24, 2022.
- ^ "'Just Read It, Read It Yourself!': Ted Cruz Uses Nominee's Document to Discredit Her – YouTube". YouTube.
- ^ "PD43+ » 2018 District Attorney Democratic Primary Suffolk District". PD43+.
- ^ "Rachael Rollins takes Democrats" nod for district attorney". Boston Herald. September 5, 2018. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ Cramer, Maria. "Rachael Rollins bests crowded field to win Democratic primary for Suffolk district attorney – The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com.
- ^ "PD43+ » 2018 District Attorney General Election Suffolk District". PD43+.
- ^ "Election results 2018 – Mass. race – The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com.
- ^ Buell, Spencer (November 7, 2018). "Rachael Rollins, Criminal Justice Reformer, Is the New Suffolk DA". Boston Magazine. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ Reporter, Maria Cramer-. "Rollins sworn in as Suffolk district attorney – The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com.
- ^ McDonald, Danny. "Pappas sworn in as Suffolk DA – The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com.
- ^ "Interim Suffolk DA named". Boston Herald. September 26, 2018. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ "Suffolk DA Rollins Lays Out Plans For Leniency For Low-Level, Nonviolent Offenses". www.wbur.org. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ^ Rojas, Rick (June 26, 2019). "5 Key Things to Know About Tiffany Cabán". The New York Times. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
- ^ "A New Study Reveals that Not Prosecuting People for Nonviolent Misdemeanors May Actually Reduce Crime". Time. May 4, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
- ^ a b Estes, Andrea (August 6, 2020). "Sex offender, free on bail, is charged with new rape". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
- ^ The Editorial Board (August 17, 2020). "Criticism Against Mass. Bail Fund misses the mark". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
- ^ "Sen. Cruz on Biden Judicial Nominee Rachael Rollins: 'Anyone Who Reads This Document Knows Exactly What Kind of Radical This Prosecutor is' | U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas". www.cruz.senate.gov. September 30, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ "District Attorney Rollins Releases Comprehensive Policy Memo". www.suffolkdistrictattorney.com. March 25, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
- ^ "The Rachael Rollins Policy Memo" (PDF). www.suffolkdistrictattorney.com. March 25, 2019. p. 55-63. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
- ^ Estes, Andrea (September 23, 2021). "Rachael Rollins confirmation vote for U.S. attorney delayed by GOP senator". www.boston.com. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
- ^ "Rachael Rollins' US Attorney Nomination Held Up By Republican Senator". CBS Boston. September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
- ^ "Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Latest Slate of U.S. Attorney Nominations" (Press release). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. September 30, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
- ^ Puzzanghera, Jim (December 8, 2021). "Senate confirms Rachael Rollins to be US attorney for Massachusetts, making her the first Black woman to hold the office in state history". The Boston Globe. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ^ Estes, Andrea. "Federal marshals won't provide a security detail for confirmed US Attorney Rachael Rollins despite recent threats against her life – The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ^ "Rachael S. Rollins Sworn in as United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts" (Press release). Boston, Massachusetts: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. January 10, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ Lynch, Sarah N.; Raymond, Nate (March 1, 2023). "Massachusetts U.S. Attorney taps ex-DOJ watchdog to defend her in ethics probe". Reuters. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
- ^ Kashinsky, Lisa (May 17, 2023). "Federal watchdogs issue scathing reports on U.S. attorney for Massachusetts". POLITICO. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
- ^ a b c Sobey, Rick (May 17, 2023). "Rachael Rollins committed 'an extraordinary abuse of her power,' US Office of Special Counsel wrote to Biden". Boston Herald. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
- ^ Lynch, Sarah. "Massachusetts U.S. attorney to resign after becoming mired in Justice Dept ethics probe". Reuters. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "Massachusetts US Attorney Rachael Rollins to resign after Justice Department watchdog probe". apnews.com. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "Massachusetts US Attorney Rachael Rollins formally resigns in wake of ethics probes". apnews.com. May 19, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ Farrar, Molly (March 13, 2024). "Former U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins suspended from practicing law". Boston.com. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
- ^ Cristantiello, Ross. "Former U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins regains law license". www.boston.com. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
- ^ Cristantiello, Ross. "Former U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins has a new job at Roxbury Community College". www.boston.com. Retrieved April 23, 2024.