Two-thirds of U.S. attorney slots aren’t filled with presidential appointees, potentially limiting the Biden administration’s ability to recast Justice Department priorities for prosecuting corporate crime and revamping criminal justice policies.
New administrations routinely start their second year still needing to install many of the 93 chief federal prosecutors, after the prior president’s appointees are asked to resign, and routine prosecutions continue unencumbered.
Attorney General Merrick Garland will be counting on having more top prosecutors in place to implement new policy aims on the ground. History suggests the big-ticket items that require a culture change won’t be executed with as much vigor ...