...Is it something I said?
The coverage of the pending departure of my friend Rachel Paulose from the position of United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota, and her appointment to the high office she will fill in the Justice Department, has seemed wanting to me. One theme is the assertion that her departure and appointment were prompted by resentment in her office over Rachel's statement in the NRO column I wrote about last week's page-one New York Times attack on her:
“The McCarthyite hysteria that permits the anonymous smearing of any public servant who is now, or ever may have been, a member of the Federalist Society; a person of faith; and/or a conservative (especially a young, conservative woman of color) is truly a disservice to our country.”The Washington Post referred to the statement (while quoting only three words of it) in its story on Rachel's departure. The Post quotes Rachel's predecessor Tom Heffelfinger -- who has become a local celebrity because he was almost fired by Alberto Gonzales -- observing that "something happened" between last week and this week. It puts me in mind of the question posed on the cover of Richard Pryor's album "...Is it something I said?" I can understand why know-nothing Star Tribune columnist Nick Coleman or the Times or the Post might take offense at Rachel's statement. As for the rest, "something happened" may be about as close as we're going to get to the real story.
In today's Star Tribune, Dan Browning and David Chanen refer again to "comments she had made to a Minneapolis blogger, implying that their criticisms of her management practices were prompted by ethnic, religious or sexist bias." I quote her statement in full above with a link to the Times story so that readers can determine for themselves if that's what her statement implied. Incidentally, I have yet to see any news story that gives an example of Rachel's deficient "management practices."
More importantly, Browning and Chanen report the testimony of law enforcement authorities and the representatives of non-governmental organizations with whom Rachel has worked as the United States Attorney. Browning and Chanen were apparently unable to find any who found her job performance consistent with the brickbats hurled at her:
Paulose played a strong role in getting law enforcement agencies to pull together on child pornography and human trafficking cases, resulting in some noteworthy prosecutions, said Linda Miller, executive director of Civil Society, a nonprofit agency that helps trafficking victims.Miller said Paulose worked with her organization for nearly two years, helped it secure funds and made sure that someone from her office was available around the clock, seven days a week.
"The history that we have had under her has been lost," Miller said.
Paulose quit Monday after a second major upheaval with her staff. Some were upset about comments she had made to a Minneapolis blogger, implying that their criticisms of her management practices were prompted by ethnic, religious or sexist bias.
Miller wonders whether Paulose's replacement will show the same dedication to human trafficking cases and their victims.
Vednita Carter, executive director of Breaking Free, an organization that helps former prostitutes, said she expects changes. "If they don't come in there with the same sort of drive and understanding as to the seriousness of this issue, it's definitely going to have a very negative impact," Carter said.
Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said it took awhile for local law enforcement and Paulose to come to an understanding about prosecution priorities. Human trafficking and Internet porn was on top of her list, Stanek said, while he and others were more concerned about gangs, drugs and guns. Stanek said they met in the middle.
"Her list was worthy, but we had different goals for what we were seeing on the streets," he said. "She was very gracious when I talked to her."
Lt. Andrew Smith, head of the Minneapolis Police Department's Violent Offender Task Force, has praise for Paulose and her staff. Since August, his investigators have put together cases that brought more than 30 indictments, the bulk against gang members.
"That's a great number," Smith said. "We've gotten very good service from her office. Attorneys have been available to us on weekends, holidays and at night."
The task force helped bring down the Tre Tre Crips gang on the city's North Side, a young and particularly violent gang, as well as the more established Bloods gang on the South Side.
Smith said Paulose's leadership had an impact, but he doesn't expect any setbacks when she leaves. The people doing the work always did an excellent job, he said.
Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan had no complaints about his department's relationship with Paulose. "We're a primary customer," he said. "I don't believe any of the political turmoil in her office impacted cases."
But Dolan is concerned that his department might lose a federally funded "Weed and Seed" grant for the North Side that Paulose was supporting. The four-year grant would fund local crime-prevention programs with $250,000 annually. He said the grants have successfully reduced crime in Phillips and Central neighborhoods in south Minneapolis.
Ron Ryan, head of the Metro Gang Strike Force, said Paulose continued to direct federal funding toward anti-gang initiatives started by her predecessor, Tom Heffelfinger. Ryan also complimented her office's work with the St. Paul Police Department, which he said brought the Latin Kings gang "to their knees."
But Ryan said Paulose's leaving won't affect the six federal-level gang investigations his office has going.
Some criticism disputed
B.J. Zapor, special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said the tempo in firearms cases increased under Paulose. These included gang cases in Minneapolis and St. Paul, and armed drug trafficker cases in Duluth.
Crime on Indian reservations -- a top priority for Heffelfinger -- was also a focus for Paulose, Zapor said. The assistant U.S. attorney assigned to Indian country prosecution was deployed to the military, but Zapor said other prosecutors picked up the cases.
Adam Behnen, assistant inspector in charge for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service office in St. Paul, called Paulose "a great U.S. attorney."My relationship with that office has been just tremendous, and particularly since she's taken over," he said. "She was doing all the right things, from my perspective. She's the first U.S. attorney that's ever come and visited our office. Usually you do not have easy access to the U.S. attorney."
Behnen disputes criticisms that Paulose didn't push white-collar crimes aggressively. "As a matter of fact, she has been encouraging us to work more white-collar crime," he said.
White-collar crime investigations have only increased in the past two years, especially in the area of mortgage fraud, Behnen said. He said the office has an excellent staff and he doesn't expect any changes after she leaves.
John Kirkwood, special-agent-in-charge of the U.S. Secret Service office in Minneapolis, agrees. He said Paulose has been a "great partner" and he expects that will continue with whoever replaces her.
"We've enjoyed an excellent relationship with the U.S. attorney's office in not only pursuing our criminal matters and investigations, but they're also very supportive ... in our protective mission as well," Kirkwood said.
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