Top official in Justice Department's criminal division to depart
The head of the Justice Department’s criminal division is leaving at the end of July after two years overseeing everything from corporate fraud prosecutions to war crimes investigations
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The head of the Justice Department’s criminal division is leaving at the end of July after two years of overseeing work that ranged from corporate fraud prosecution to war crimes investigations.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite's tenure has included work to combat human smuggling, prosecute white-collar crime and pursue accountability for Russian war crimes in Ukraine, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
“Under his leadership, the division has accelerated its efforts to keep the American people safe and tackle some of the most complex and urgent challenges our nation faces,” Garland said.
He did not name a reason for Polite’s departure, but the length of his tenure is similar to many of his predecessors. He is expected to join a law firm this summer after a short break, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Polite was confirmed to the role overseeing more than 600 federal prosecutors in 2021. He previously served a four-year stint as U.S. Attorney in New Orleans ending in 2017, and started his public-service career as a federal prosecutor in New York.
A Harvard University graduate, Polite has also been a Philadelphia-based law firm partner, a vice president at a large company in New Orleans and a white-collar defense attorney.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.